The following blog is written by:
Marjorie Kreppel, LCPC, NCC, DBT-LBC — Founder, Counseling Center Group
When people first reach out for therapy, they often feel a mix of courage and relief — followed quickly by confusion. They call their insurance company, only to be handed a long list of “in-network” providers. They start dialing, but most aren’t accepting new clients, or they specialize in something entirely different. Others have a six-month waitlist.
Eventually, many end up out-of-network and frustrated that they’ll need to pay out of pocket. I hear this story every single day. But here’s the truth few people realize: sometimes, the “cheaper” route ends up being the more expensive one — emotionally, mentally, and even financially.
Why we choose to stay out-of-network
At the Counseling Center Group, we’re intentionally an out-of-network practice. That’s not because we want therapy to be less accessible — it’s because we want it to be more effective.
Insurance companies often require a diagnosis before they’ll pay for care. That means a therapist has to label you, even if you’re simply going through a difficult life transition, dealing with grief, or seeking personal growth. Your private experience becomes part of a permanent medical record — one that can be viewed by others in your healthcare network or insurance database.
As an out-of-network provider, your care stays confidential. You and your therapist decide together what’s best for you — not a third-party reviewer who’s never met you. We can design a treatment plan around your goals, not around the number of sessions an insurance company believes you “should need.”
Evidence-based, short-term, and deeply personalized
Many people assume out-of-network therapy means indefinite weekly sessions that go on for years. That’s not the kind of work we do. Our approach is short-term, evidence-based, and results-driven.
We use modalities such as Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Gottman Couples Therapy, Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) — all treatments backed by research and designed to help clients feel better, faster.
Because we’re not confined by insurance parameters, we can focus on what works:
- Customized treatment plans that align with your goals
- Flexible session frequency based on progress, not policy
- Real-time adjustments without waiting for authorization
When therapy is efficient and targeted, it’s often shorter in duration — and clients end up investing less overall than they would in drawn-out, generalized therapy that’s dictated by billing codes.
Clinical excellence isn’t a buzzword — it’s our standard
In today’s mental health landscape, it’s easy to find a provider who says they use a certain modality — but much harder to find one who truly practices it with fidelity. Many therapists list specialized treatments like DBT, EMDR, or Gottman Couples Therapy after attending a single workshop or introductory course. But genuine evidence-based care requires more than a weekend of training — it demands rigorous certification, ongoing consultation, and a commitment to fully follow the model.
At the Counseling Center Group, our #1 priority is clinical excellence.
If we say we provide a modality, we do so with fidelity. We actually provide that treatment — not a watered-down or partial version. Each of our clinicians is either certified or actively supervised by experts in that model. This ensures clients receive the kind of structured, research-based therapy that produces measurable change.
It’s one of the reasons our treatment outcomes are consistently strong — and why clients often complete therapy sooner, with lasting results.
Transparency over confusion
We understand that the financial side of therapy can feel intimidating. That’s why our team provides clarity from the very first call.
We verify your out-of-network benefits, explain exactly how reimbursement works, and provide all the documentation you need to submit claims easily. Many of our clients are surprised to learn that their insurance reimburses 60–80% of their session cost once they’ve met their deductible.
Our goal is for clients to understand exactly what they’ll pay, what their insurance will reimburse, and how long we expect treatment to take. Transparency is care, too.
Privacy is power
In a world where almost every part of our lives is tracked, shared, or analyzed, therapy remains one of the few places that can truly belong to you.
When you see an out-of-network provider, your diagnosis and treatment notes stay confidential. That means your care isn’t automatically visible to your employer, your insurance company, or future providers.
That privacy gives people the freedom to be honest, take risks, and explore the hard stuff without wondering who else might read it later. It’s hard to overstate how healing that can be.
A partnership built on trust — not policy
The most meaningful change in therapy happens when two people — client and therapist — agree on a shared goal and commit to the process together. That collaboration should never be interrupted by an insurance reviewer deciding you’ve had “enough sessions.”
At its best, therapy is a sacred partnership between expert and client, science and empathy, insight and action. And at its most effective, it’s guided not by insurance codes, but by evidence, compassion, and clear intention.
In Closing
Yes, therapy is an investment. But it’s also one of the few investments that changes everything else — your relationships, your health, your work, your sense of self.
At the Counseling Center Group, we believe in care that is effective, transparent, and deeply respectful of your privacy and autonomy.
We’re here to help you get better, faster — and to do it with the highest level of clinical integrity.
Because healing should be guided by expertise and collaboration — not by an insurance company’s stopwatch.
About The Author
Marjorie Kreppel, LCPC, Founder
Marjorie founded the Counseling Center Group in 2015 after years of academic study, gold-standard training, and experience in private practice, hospital settings, and clinical research initiatives. She has developed an ...
