The Art of Healing the SoulMaria Teresa Valencia, MA, LPC
An open blank notebook and a cup of tea on a desk in soft daylight

Rates & the honest answer about cost

$180 a session. And yes, the consultation is free.

Self-pay, one flat rate, and a free 15-minute consult before you commit.

  • $180 · 60-min session
  • $0 consultation
  • Superbill on request
Request a free 15-min consultationRead the FAQs

$180

60-minute session

One flat rate. No hidden add-ons.

$0

15-minute consultation

So you can find out if we're a fit before you commit.

Self-pay

No insurance filed

Your records stay between us, not a claims reviewer.

Other services

Beyond the weekly hour.

$500

Immigration hardship evaluation

Per person evaluated — clinical interview and written report for your attorney.

$230

Crisis session within 24 hours

When my schedule allows. Not an emergency service — for emergencies call or text 988, or call 911.

$250

Couples session, 60 minutes

Couples work isn't the center of my practice, but it's available when it's the right fit.

What you're actually paying for

A full hour, and the whole hour is yours.

01

A true 60 minutes

Not the 45-minute 'therapy hour' that's become standard. The hour is the hour.
02

English or Spanish, whichever the day needs

You can start a sentence in one language and finish it in the other. Most weeks, that's exactly what happens.
03

The same therapist, every time

You're not assigned to whoever has an opening. You work with me, start to finish.
04

The work between sessions

Notes, planning, and the thinking I do about your case between the weeks you see me.
05

A superbill whenever you ask

If you have out-of-network benefits, I'll give you the itemized receipt to submit yourself. Your insurer decides what comes back — I can't promise a number.
06

A Good Faith Estimate in writing

Before we begin, you get a written estimate of what care will cost. It's your right under federal law, and I'd give it to you either way.

Self-pay isn't a stance against insurance — it's a choice about what care looks like when nothing outside this room gets a vote.

01

No diagnosis in a claims file

To bill insurance I'd have to give you a billable diagnosis and send it to a company that keeps it. Self-pay means the record of your care lives in one place — with me.

02

Your care, decided in this room

No reviewer at an insurance company deciding how many sessions is 'enough', or whether what you're working on qualifies.

03

You can start now

No waiting for an in-network opening. If we're a fit after the free call, we can begin.

Let's say the real thing

If the cost is what's stopping you.

$180 is a real amount of money. Worrying about that isn't something to be embarrassed about, and it isn't a sign you shouldn't be here. It's a sign you're doing the math honestly.

The free 15-minute consultation exists precisely so you can ask about it before anyone pays anything. If this isn't the right fit financially, I'd rather say so plainly than start something that can't be sustained.

Book the free 15-min call →

The fine print, in plain language

Everything else worth knowing.

Cancellations

At least 6 hours' notice to cancel or reschedule at no charge. Less than 6 hours' notice or a no-show is billed $25. Life happens, and we'll always talk about it.

Payment

Card on file, charged at the end of each session.

Superbills

Provided on request for out-of-network benefits. Reimbursement depends on your plan and is decided by the insurer.

Good Faith Estimate →

A written estimate of expected cost before care begins, under the No Surprises Act.

Questions about cost

Do you take insurance?

No — I'm self-pay only and I don't file claims. If you have out-of-network benefits I can give you an itemized superbill to submit yourself. Whether anything comes back is your insurer's decision, not mine.

What if I can't afford $180?

Say so on the free consultation. I'd rather point you toward something you can sustain than start work together that has to stop in six weeks.

What happens on the free 15-minute call?

You tell me briefly what brings you. I ask a couple of questions. We decide together whether I'm the right person. No charge, no obligation, no health details needed.

What is a Good Faith Estimate?

A written estimate of what your care is expected to cost, which you're entitled to under federal law before treatment begins. You'll get one from me in writing.

How do I pay?

Card, charged at the end of each session.

Not sure if this is the right fit? That’s what the free call is for.

Book the free 15-min call

The next step is small

Start with a free 15-minute call.

No forms, no pressure. Just a short conversation to see if we're a fit.

Request the consultationRead the FAQs