Relationship-Focused Counseling Services in Seattle
We serve all of Washington State, offering comprehensive telehealth counseling sessions from confidential home offices.
About Us
We view therapy as a collaborative way for anyone who feels stuck to create changes in their life. Therapy will help you examine your beliefs, assumptions, values, goals, thought patterns, and relationships. Talking problems through with a nonjudgmental, neutral third party can inspire a new perspective. Our therapeutic styles vary from conversational to clinical, and my clients report that they appreciate SCS’s active approach to therapy. We enjoy working with clients on goal-oriented changes, and utilize out of session homework to maximize the impact of therapy.
Meet Brittany Steffen
Brittany Steffen is the owner and founder of Steffen Counseling Services. She graduated from Seattle Pacific University’s marriage and family therapy graduate program in 2012 and has worked as a therapist in the Seattle area for the past 10-plus years.
Brittany Steffen, MS, LMFT
AASECT Certified Sex Therapist
Certified Integrated Intimacy Professional
Washington State Approved Supervisor
Which insurance do you take?
Clinical Interns: Our clinical interns are private pay and are not eligible for insurance reimbursement out of network. We can provide superbills for clients who want to submit for out-of-network reimbursement. However, most plans do not reimburse for sessions provided by unlicensed clinicians. Our interns are sliding scale, $60-$75 per session, pay what you can.
Associates: Our associate therapists are in-network with Premera, which includes Premera Blue Cross Blue Shield plans, Lifewise, Heritage, and other Premera plans. If you have a Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) insurance card, and you’re not sure if your plan is run locally through Premera, you can call the number on the back of your insurance card or log into your insurance client portal to see if we are listed as an in-network provider. You can also use our Nirvana insurance calculator on our scheduling page to see if you are out of network.
Some BCBS plans are run locally through Regence, which we are not in-network with. This can be even more confusing because we will likely show up on BCBS lists as an in-network provider, even though we are only in-network with BCBS Premera plans–not BCBS Regence Plans. We cannot guarantee that we are in-network with your specific plan, so if insurance coverage is important to you, please confirm that your plan is indeed Premera and that your mental health benefits are run through Premera.
As an example, Providence employees have a Premera branded insurance card. However, their mental health benefits are run through Optim rather than Premera. If you have any questions about whether or not your mental health benefits are indeed Premera, please refer to your insurance client portal, the number on the back of your insurance card, or use our out-of-network insurance calculator to see if your plan is listed as an out of network result.
Our AASECT Certified Sex Therapist and owner, Brittany Steffen, is in-network with Lyra EAP, which will cover individual, couples, and sex therapy sessions. For more information on your Lyra benefits, contact your Lyra or HR representative. Most Lyra plans offer 25 free sessions per year to members.
How often/how long will I be in therapy?
The frequency and duration of therapy will vary depending on the individual or couple's needs and goals for therapy. Generally, therapy sessions are typically held once a week, although some people may choose to attend sessions more or less frequently. The duration of therapy sessions is typically between 45 minutes to an hour.
The length of time that you will be in therapy will also depend on your specific needs and goals for therapy. Some people may only need a few sessions to address a specific problem or concern, while others may benefit from longer-term therapy. The length of therapy can also vary depending on the type of therapy you are receiving. For example, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is typically shorter-term, usually, around 12-20 sessions, while psychoanalytic therapy is typically longer-term, often lasting several years.
Therapy is a process, and progress may vary for each individual. The therapist will work with you to set goals and objectives for therapy and will monitor your progress throughout the process. The therapist will also adjust the therapy plan as needed to ensure that you are making progress and achieving your goals.
It's also important to note that therapy is not a one-time solution, and most people will benefit from occasional "tune-up" sessions even after they have completed a course of therapy.
Overall, the frequency and duration of therapy will depend on your specific needs and goals for therapy and will be tailored to meet your individual needs. It's important to communicate with your therapist about your needs and goals and to work together to develop a treatment plan that best suits you.
Why isn't couples/sex therapy covered by insurance?
It can be difficult to explain to a therapy client why sex therapy and couples therapy may not be covered by insurance companies. However, one reason is that insurance companies categorize these types of therapy as not “medically necessary” in the same way as other types of medical treatment. Additionally, insurance companies may have specific requirements or diagnoses that must be met before they will provide coverage for these types of therapy. To add to the confusion, Premera will tell members that couples/family therapy is a covered service code–which is correct. However, if billing accurately, the most common diagnostic code for couples therapy is “Z63.0: Problems in a Relationship with Spouse or Partner,” and insurance does not consider that diagnosis a mental health issue requiring treatment.
Some therapists will simply choose an identified patient, assign a covered diagnosis, and bill insurance for couples therapy so that their clients can get coverage. This strategy is a great way to get coverage for couples therapy, but it leaves the provider vulnerable to an insurance audit. Our insurance contract requires us to assign the most accurate diagnosis possible, so if our notes don’t reflect that billing, Premera can claw back any payments related to the case in question. Because of that risk, we will not bill Premera for couples or sex therapy unless the primary diagnosis is accurate, billable, and not better described by a non-billable code, such as Relationship Issues.
If you have Premera and are beginning couples or sex therapy treatment, we will have you sign an insurance waiver acknowledging that we cannot bill insurance. For non-Premera couples and sex therapy clients, we can provide superbills for out-of-network reimbursement, should your plan allow.
It’s important to note that insurance coverage is constantly changing and evolving, so it’s always a good idea to check with your insurance provider to understand what is covered under your plan and to find out if there are any out-of-pocket expenses you’ll need to pay for couples and sex therapy.
Do you do out of network billing?
SCS does not do out of network billing, simply because it is time consuming and often unsuccessful–and insurance clients themselves are much more likely to be successfully reimbursed for out of network services than clinicians are. Instead of doing out of network billing, we offer a variety of price points ($60-$170) for private pay clients, and provide electronic superbills for out of network reimbursement on a monthly basis, by request.
We also subscribe to Nirvana’s insurance calculator, which allows out of network clients to quickly and easily estimate their out of network costs, including their deductible, coinsurance, and out of network reimbursement rate. To use our calculator, navigate to the scheduling page, and scroll down to use the calculator. To see if your Nirvana’s calculator works with your insurance plan, please review their list of included insurance providers:
https://calculator.meetnirvana.com/supported-insurers
Do you do free phone/telehealth consultations?
Availability for phone or telehealth consultations is determined by the individual clinician. It is best to contact the clinician if you'd like to request a phone consultation. Some of our providers do not offer free consultations and will complete any screenings via email instead.
How much does it cost? What does sliding scale mean? Who qualifies?
SCS offers sliding-scale services through our interns. Interns work on a pay-what-you-can model ranging from $60-75 per 50-minute session. Our interns train at highly qualified programs and receive frequent supervision by qualified professionals.
You do not have to provide proof of income to qualify to see clinical interns at our sliding scale rates, and can choose your price per session, within our sliding scale.
Our licensed therapists offer intake sessions at $145 per session, and are $130 per session moving forward. We can provide superbills for out of network reimbursement.
How do I find out what my out of network reimbursement for therapy will be? How do I get reimbursed? What do I need to ask my insurance company?
<span style="font-weight: 400;">To find out what your out-of-network reimbursement for therapy will be, you will need to contact your insurance company and ask them about their out-of-network coverage. It's important to ask your insurance company the following questions:</span>
<ol>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">What is the out-of-network reimbursement rate for therapy?</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Are there any annual limits on out-of-network reimbursement for therapy?</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Are there any requirements that need to be met before I can be reimbursed for out-of-network therapy?</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Will I need to submit claims forms or any other documentation to receive reimbursement?</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">How long will it take to receive reimbursement after I submit a claim?</span></li>
</ol>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">To get reimbursed for out-of-network therapy, you will typically need to submit a claim form to your insurance company, along with any other required documentation. You will also need to submit proof of payment, such as a receipt from the therapist and a statement from the therapist that includes the date of service, the type of service provided, and the diagnosis.</span>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">It's important to keep in mind that the process of getting reimbursed for out-of-network therapy may take some time, and it may take several weeks or even months to receive reimbursement. It's also important to note that the reimbursement you receive may not be the full amount you paid for therapy, and you may be responsible for paying some of the costs out-of-pocket.</span>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">It's also important to check with your insurance company to see if they require anything else, such as a supervisory signature or a certain type of billing code in order to get reimbursed. It is important to keep in mind that the laws and regulations are different from one state to another, so it's always a good idea to check with your insurance provider to understand what is covered under your plan and to find out if there are any out-of-pocket expenses you'll need to pay for couples and sex therapy.</span>