Therapy Costs

You deserve thoughtful, personalized care from a therapist who understands the complexity of your story and knows how to meet you where you are.

Every Viva clinician goes beyond the foundational requirements of clinical licensure, with advanced training in trauma-informed, brain- and body-based approaches such as EMDR, Brainspotting, IFS, and somatic practices.

Our rates reflect the depth of expertise our clinicians bring to their work, including their years of experience, areas of specialization, and ongoing professional development.

At the Viva Center, all of our providers are out-of-network. That means that our clinicians do not interact with any insurance providers.

In-network therapists have a contract with your insurance company, allowing them to accept discounted rates. Yet, insurance companies frequently reimburse clients directly for out-of-network therapy costs. For more guidance on this process, feel free to use our insurance submission checklist.

In Washington, DC, most clinicians with advanced training are out-of-network, as the low payments received as an in-network provider rarely cover the expenses of high-quality training.

Over 95% of our clients obtain out-of-network reimbursement for a portion of their costs. We encourage all of our clients to contact their insurance company to verify if their plan offers out-of-network benefits for outpatient mental health (sometimes called behavioral health). 

If out-of-network benefits are available use the following questions when speaking with an insurance agent to estimate potential reimbursement from your insurance company for Viva services:

1. How do I submit claims? 
2. Do I have a deductible? 
3. What is the deductible? 
4. Is there a maximum number of visits per year?
5. What percent of reimbursement is covered under my benefit?
6. If no reimbursement, can I set up a “single-case agreement”?
7. What is the out-of-network reimbursement rate for the various procedure codes below? 90832 (individual 30-minute psychotherapy), 90834 (individual 45-minute psychotherapy), 90837 (individual 60 plus minutes psychotherapy) 
8. Is authorization required? If yes, how do I obtain authorization? 

If there are no out-of-network benefits, and you have determined that there are no in-network provider options or the in-network options do not provide the modalities that you desire (e.g. EMDR), then ask your insurance provider about a “single case agreement.”

For more guidance on this process, feel free to use our insurance submission checklist.

In addition, we provide Couples Therapy and Reiki, with rates that vary based on clinician.

We accept credit/debit cards (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express. Payment is processed on a weekly basis through our secure client portal.

All clients receive weekly statements, post-payment processing that display the information insurance companies require for reimbursement purposes (procedure code, diagnosis code, provider information, etc.).

Our clinicians are trained to answer any questions you may have about the information you need to successfully navigate the reimbursement process with your insurance provider. Should you have further questions about billing and reimbursement, please contact our billing department at (202) 265-1000 x 3.

One way to reduce therapy costs is to schedule biweekly sessions, rather than weekly appointments. This way, you can still gain the benefits of therapy while lowering the total monthly bill. While results may be slower, the goals of therapy can still be achieved. You may discuss this option with your clinician during the initial session to determine whether it is viable.

Other people elect to access online mental health programs that teach them solutions for improved emotional health at a fraction of the cost of in-person sessions. Our free, online mental health hub, The Resilient Brain Project, houses myriad podcasts, meditations, tools, articles, and other resources for those looking for tools. The Resilient Brain Project also provides live low-cost monthly workshops called Learning Labs.

You may also choose to go with a therapist who uses a sliding scale (prices vary based on your resources), such as the Women’s Center or the George Washington University Center Clinic.

Please Note: The Viva Center is an out of network provider with a fully transparent fee structure so there are no surprises in billing. Viva Center clients receive good faith estimates of length of treatment on our financial agreement document and verbally upon request at any time.

Another option to reduce therapy costs is choosing to go with an in-network provider. If so, we recommend asking the following questions of your new provider:

1. What sort of training do you have in ____?
2. What is your professional history with ____?
3. Do you belong to any professional organizations or societies related to ____?