One of the first questions people ask when starting therapy is: “Do you take my insurance?”
It’s a good and important question — therapy is an investment in your well-being, and cost is a real factor in accessibility. But the answer isn’t always simple, because therapy insurance coverage depends on your plan details and your therapist’s credentials.
In this guide, we’ll explain how insurance coverage for therapy works in our Seattle group practice and how to check your benefits confidently before booking your first appointment.
How Therapy Insurance Works in Our Group Practice
Steffen Counseling Services is a Seattle-based group practice made up of independently licensed, associate, and intern therapists, all working together to provide compassionate, high-quality care.
Because therapists in our practice are credentialed differently, therapy insurance coverage can vary depending on who you see:
Independently licensed therapists (such as LMFTs and LMHCs) are often credentialed directly with insurance companies under their own names.
Associate licensed therapists (such as LMFT-As and LMHC-As)— and intern therapists are typically credentialed under the insurance contracts of practice owner Brittany Steffen (as their supervisor).
Coverage also depends on your specific insurance plan and the therapist you choose.
Insurance directories do not always reflect these supervisory billing relationships, so the most reliable way to confirm coverage is to verify your benefits directly.
How to Check Your Therapy Coverage (The Most Reliable Way)
The best way to confirm if your provider at Steffen Counseling Services takes your insurance is to check through your insurance member portal. This ensures that you get the most accurate information for your exact plan.
Follow these steps:
Log in to your insurance account on the website or mobile app.
Go to “Find a Provider” or “Behavioral Health.”
Search for Brittany Steffen, LMFT (NPI: 1104205178).
Verify that she appears as in-network for your specific plan.
Because insurers often have multiple plan types under the same brand, make sure you’re reviewing the exact plan you’re enrolled in. If Brittany Steffen is listed as in-network, there’s a good chance your therapy insurance coverage applies when working with one of our associate or intern therapists.
This quick verification step is the most accurate way to check your therapy benefits and avoid unexpected billing issues.
Insurance Companies We Work With
We frequently work with the following insurance networks for therapy in Seattle:
Premera (including some BCBS and most Lifewise plans): coverage for individual sessions with an associate or independently licensed therapist.
Molina (Apple Health and Marketplace plans): coverage for individual sessions with an intern therapist.
Plan details can vary widely within these networks, so it’s always best to check your insurance portal to confirm your personal coverage.
What You Might Pay for Therapy
Your therapy cost depends on your plan’s insurance coverage structure. Most clients fall into one of these categories:
Copay: A set fee per session (often $20–$50).
Coinsurance: A percentage of the session cost, such as 20%.
Deductible-based: You pay the full amount until your deductible is met.
You can confirm your copay, coinsurance, or deductible in your insurance member portal under “Benefits” or “Cost Sharing.”
Using Out-of-Network (OON) Benefits
If your insurance plan doesn’t list Steffen Counseling Services as in-network, you still have the option to use out-of-network therapy benefits. Here’s how OON reimbursement typically works:
You pay for therapy sessions directly.
We provide you with a superbill (a detailed receipt of services).
You submit the superbill to your insurance provider and may receive partial reimbursement.
For many clients, this option balances flexibility with affordability while maintaining continuity of care.
Couples Therapy and Insurance
A common question we hear from clients is whether insurance covers couples therapy. In most cases, it does not, because insurance is set up to pay for treatment for one person, not for the relationship as a whole. That means one partner usually has to be listed as the “patient” for insurance to apply.
For a deeper explanation, you can read our blog post: Why Insurance Coverage for Couples Therapy Can Be Complicated.
Moving Forward with Confidence
Navigating therapy insurance coverage can be confusing. If your therapy insurance coverage still feels unclear after checking your portal, we’re here to help. Our Insurance FAQ page offers a more detailed overview of our insurance billing policies, session rates, and how to verify your benefits benefits.
Our goal at Steffen Counseling Services is to make every logistical step — including verifying benefits and managing payment — as straightforward as possible, so you can focus on what truly matters: your care, your healing, and your growth.
If you’re ready to learn more about how to get started, reach out to our team today.