We would love to hear from you. We respond to phone calls, texts, and emails during business hours which are Monday to Friday from 9:00am to 5:00pm.

You can contact us at (760) 640-0270 or info@integrativecouplestherapy.com. 

If you are an existing client we encourage you to contact your therapist directly by email or their direct cell. You are also welcome to contact our Care Coordinator throughout your therapy journey as she is here to support you too.

If you are experiencing a mental health crisis call 1-888-724-7240. This is confidential and trained counselors can help connect you with next steps. If you are experiencing a mental health emergency or are in need of law enforcement call 911 and ask for the Psychiatric Emergency Response Team or go to your nearest emergency room. 

We encourage you to bookmark the link for the client portal here: https://integrativecouplestherapy.clientsecure.me

When logging in, use the email that is associated with your account. 

The client portal is where you will complete and submit documents, insurance and payment information. In addition, this is where you will access your telehealth link.

Encinitas Office

171 Saxony Rd. Suite 106, Encinitas, CA, 92024.

By Appointment Only

Login to the client portal https://integrativecouplestherapy.clientsecure.me

Shannon Ehlers, AMFT

$150 per 55 minutes

Morgan Betterton, AMFT

$200 per 55 minutes

Cara McDowell, LMFT

$220 per 55 minutes

Cristina Trette, LMFT

$275 per 55 minutes

$300 per 60 minutes for intensives

Some of our therapists offer a limited number of sliding scale/reduced fee slots for clients experiencing financial hardship. If you are interested in learning more, contact our Care Coordinator at info@integrativecouplestherapy.com.

No. We are a private pay therapy practice and are not contracted with any health insurance companies.

We can provide you with a superbill if your therapy will be focused on and if you meet criteria for a mental health, development, or behavior diagnosis.

Superbills are detailed statements that clients can submit to their health insurance company. When submitting a superbill, clients may be able to receive reimbursement for therapy services directly from their health insurance company. Clients will want to call the member services number on the back of their health insurance card to find out what their out of network benefits are and how to submit the superbill.

Please note that the diagnosis will be documented on the superbill. This includes those that are in couples/family therapy.

We accept credit cards, debit cards and health savings accounts. Your payment information will be saved on file in your secure and HIPAA compliant client portal. We will charge your card after each therapy appointment session and email you a receipt. We do not accept cash, Venmo, PayPal, Zelle or checks.

GOOD FAITH ESTIMATE

Notice of Your Right to a Good Faith EstimateYou have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your medical and mental health care will cost. Under the law, healthcare providers need to give clients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the expected charges for medical services, including psychotherapy services.You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of your healthcare services, including psychotherapy services. You can ask your healthcare provider, and any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule a service. The Good Faith Estimate shows the costs of items and services that are reasonably expected for your healthcare needs for an item or service. The estimate is based on information known at the time the estimate is created. The Good Faith Estimate does not include any unknown or unexpected costs that may arise during the course of care. You could be charged more if special circumstances occur. In non-emergency circumstances, you will be provided with an updated Good Faith Estimate for any new expected charges.If you are billed for more than your Good Faith Estimate, you have the right to dispute the bill under federal law. Specifically, if you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill. You may contact the healthcare provider or facility listed to let them know the billed charges are higher than the Good Faith Estimate. You can ask them to update the bill to match the Good Faith Estimate, ask to negotiate the bill, or ask if there is financial assistance available. You may also start a dispute resolution process with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). If you choose to use the dispute resolution process, you must start the dispute within 120 calendar days (about 4 months) of the date of the original bill.There is a $25 fee to use the dispute process. If the agency reviewing your dispute agrees with you, you will have to pay the price on the Good Faith Estimate. If the agency disagrees with you and agrees with the healthcare provider or facility, you will have to pay the higher amount.To learn more or to get a form to start the dispute resolution process, go to www.cms.gov/nosuprises or call HHS’ toll free number: 1-877-696-6775.Make sure to keep a copy of your Good Faith Estimate in a safe place or take pictures of it. You may need it if you are billed a higher amount.For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate or the dispute process, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises or call HHS’ toll free number: 1-877-696-6775.

Our Care Coordinator is available by phone, text or email to answer any questions you may have about our practice such as fees, availability, and approach. Our Care Coordinator knows our therapists very well and is excellent at matching clients with therapists. You can contact her at 760-640-0270 or info@integrativecouplestherapy.com.

On occasion, some of our therapists offer 15 minute phone/video consultations.

If you will be starting couples therapy, you and your partner will attend the first therapy appointment together. You will discuss the challenges you are facing and your goals for therapy. Your therapist will want to learn about your strengths, areas of conflict, relationship history, and what kind of relationship you want to create moving forward. After the the first session, your therapist may request to see you and your partner individually, or you may attend each appointment as a couple.

At your first appointment you will discuss what brings you to therapy and what you hope to get out of the therapeutic process. Your therapist will ask you a lot of questions to best understand your relationship, family, and mental health history and goals.

It is best to bring this question to your therapist as there are many factors that influence session frequency and the length of therapy process. 

Generally we schedule new clients on a weekly basis in order to support early progress. Over time, some clients decrease frequency to biweekly or monthly sessions.

Although we cannot say how long you will be in therapy, we can suggest that you plan to attend at least 12 to 24 sessions of weekly therapy in order to meet your goals. Some clients are in therapy short-term, such as six months, while other attend therapy for several years, or on and off throughout their life.

Our clients are able to end therapy at any time for any reason. Ideally, when ending therapy, you and your therapist will hold a final session to highlight progress, solidify learning, and provide referrals if indicated.

Yes. Prior to your first therapy appointment, you will login to your client portal to complete intake documents and payment information. If you are doing couples therapy, your partner will login to their portal to complete documents as well. It is important that each partner complete their own documents. If your documents have not been completed at least 24 hours prior to your first visit, we will contact you with a friendly reminder and may reschedule your appointment to give you more time to complete the documents. Unfortunately, we cannot hold your first therapy intake appointment if you have not completed documents. We do not have a paper option at our office. All information is exchanged electrically through the client portal which is HIPAA compliant and secure. 

Our standard appointment length is 55 minutes. Please reach out to us to inquire about longer appointment times or intensives.

We provide in person appointments at our office in Encinitas, California. We also offer telehealth/virtual therapy for clients physically located in California.

We charge the full fee for no shows or appointments that are cancelled or rescheduled without a 24 hour notice. If your appointment is on a Monday you must cancel by 5pm on Friday. Our cancellation policy is firm.

Please note that our policy will change to require a 48 hour notice on Jan. 1, 2025.

Our video sessions are hosted on Simple Practice, a HIPAA compliant, secure, and confidential telehealth platform. If we encounter connection problems we may use an alternative such as Google Meet or Zoom which are also HIPAA compliant and secure. If your therapy will be recorded (with verbal and written releases) then the sessions will likely be held over Zoom.

All of our therapists hold Masters Degrees in Marriage and Family Therapy or Counseling. They are Licensed or Associate Registered Marriage and Family Therapists with the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. In addition, all of our therapists have completed the Externship in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy.

We specialize in relationships, couples, and marriage and family therapy. We also provide counseling for those experiencing challenges with work/life/family harmony, parenting distress, divorce, loss, and life transitions. In addition we provide counseling in the areas of anxiety, depression, and trauma. All of our therapists hold a relational and attachment based approach to therapy.

Yes. Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFTs) are mental health professionals that are trained and licensed to diagnose and treat mental health, developmental, and behavioral disorders. 

Visit the International Center for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy at www.iceeft.com. 

No. We do not offer services for those experiencing a mental health or psychiatric emergency. If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health or psychiatric emergency call 911 and ask for the Psychiatric Emergency Response Team or go to your nearest emergency room.

If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, please call the San Diego Access and Crisis Line at (888) 724-7240. Caring and qualified counselors are available at this number 24 hours a day 7 days a a week.

We regularly provide therapy for couples and individuals experiencing a relationship crisis, such as infidelity or divorce. If you are a new client, and hope to be seen within a few days as you face this kind of crisis, please let our Care Coordinator know when you contact us.