How Much Does Couples Therapy Cost in Temecula?
Cost is often the first question couples ask me. It is a fair one, and you deserve a straight answer before you decide anything.
In my Temecula practice, couples therapy is private pay. Ongoing couples sessions are $250 for 60 minutes, and the first session is a 90 minute assessment at $375. A couples intensive starts at $1,500, and the affair recovery intensive is $2,000.
Every couple starts with a free 30 minute consultation, so you know exactly what you are signing up for before you spend anything.
Fees at a Glance
| Service | Time | Investment |
|---|---|---|
| Free consultation | 30 minutes | Free |
| Assessment session (your first session) | 90 minutes | $375 |
| Ongoing couples sessions | 60 minutes | $250 |
| Clarity Session | 2.5 hours | $950 |
| Couples intensive with one follow-up | 5 hours total | $1,500 |
| Couples intensive with two follow-ups | 6 hours total | $1,650 |
| Affair recovery intensive | 6 hours total | $2,000 |
Current fees are always listed on my Fees page.
What you are paying for
Couples therapy is a different kind of work than individual therapy. There are two people in the room, two histories, and one pattern between you that keeps repeating. My job is to see that pattern clearly and help you change it, without taking sides.
- A full assessment. The first session is 90 minutes with both of you. I also meet with each of you individually, so I understand both sides fully, not just the version of yourselves you show when your partner is in the room.
- Specialized training. I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with more than 15 years of experience with couples. I utilize the Gottman Method and Emotionally Focused Therapy, two of the most researched approaches to couples work.
- A plan, not just a place to talk. You leave with specific skills to practice and a clear sense of what we are working on and why.
- Honesty about pace. I will tell you where you are and what I think will help. I do not keep couples in therapy longer than they need to be.
Why most couples therapists do not take insurance
Health insurance pays for treatment of a diagnosed mental health condition in one person. Relationship distress on its own is usually not something insurance will cover.
To bill insurance for couples work, one partner typically has to be given a diagnosis and treated as the patient. That diagnosis becomes part of their health record. It also puts one person at the center of work that is really about the two of you.
Insurance can also limit how many sessions you get and how long they last. Couples work often needs longer sessions, individual time with each partner, and the freedom to move at the pace your relationship needs. Private pay keeps those decisions between you and me, and keeps your information private.
Weekly therapy or an intensive: how the cost compares
Weekly therapy spreads the investment out over time. An intensive puts it into one focused day. Neither is better for everyone. The right choice depends on where your relationship is right now.
Side by Side
| Weekly couples therapy | Couples intensive | |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | One session a week, ongoing | Four focused hours in one day, plus a follow-up |
| Cost | $250 per session, after a $375 assessment | From $1,500 for 5 hours, including a follow-up |
| Best for | Steady progress over time | Couples in crisis, couples stuck in weekly therapy, or schedules that make weekly sessions hard |
| Where | In person in Temecula or telehealth anywhere in California | In person in Temecula |
A $1,500 intensive costs the same as six weekly sessions. One focused day can move your relationship further than months of weekly sessions, because we finally have the uninterrupted time to get there. Learn more about intensives.
How many sessions do couples usually need?
It depends on what you are working through. Some couples make meaningful progress in 8 to 12 sessions. Others work with me for a year or more, especially after an affair or when a pattern has been building for a long time.
Your first two months of weekly couples therapy: the $375 assessment plus seven ongoing sessions at $250. Eight sessions in all.
I will always be honest with you about where you are. If you are ready to space sessions out or finish, I will tell you.
Ways to make it work for your budget
- Session packages. Prepaid packages bundle your sessions into one plan for couples who know they want ongoing support. See packages.
- Telehealth. Sessions from home anywhere in California save the drive and the time away from work.
- A focused intensive. For some couples, one concentrated day is a better use of the same investment than months of weekly sessions.
- The free consultation. We talk through your situation and your budget, and I will tell you honestly which option makes the most sense.
Therapy is not the expensive part.
Staying stuck is.
The cost of waiting
Dr. John Gottman found that couples wait an average of six years after problems begin before they ask for help. In those years, small hurts harden into resentment, and the distance between you becomes the normal way you live.
Therapy is an investment. Staying stuck has a cost too. It shows up in the sleepless nights, the silences your kids absorb at the dinner table, and the life you keep putting off. Couples who come in earlier usually need less time, because there is more to work with.
Common questions about cost
Do you take insurance for couples therapy?
No. Couples therapy is private pay, which is standard for couples work because insurance usually does not cover relationship counseling.
Is the consultation really free?
Yes. The 30 minute consultation is free with no commitment. It is a chance to ask questions, talk about what is going on, and decide whether working together makes sense.
Does telehealth cost less than in person?
No. The fee is the same, because the clinical work is the same. Telehealth can still save you the drive and time away from work.
Is there a payment plan for intensives?
Yes. A 50% deposit reserves your date, and the balance is due on the day of your intensive. Intensives are paid by Zelle.
Start with a free conversation
You do not have to figure out the right option on your own. In a free 30 minute consultation, we talk about what is happening, what you want to change, and what fits your life and your budget. No pressure, and no commitment.
The relationship you want is closer than you think.
Book Your Free Consultation
Janine Piernas, LMFT #105849, is a couples therapist in Temecula, CA, offering couples therapy, couples intensives, and affair recovery in person and by telehealth throughout California. More about Janine