FEES & INVESTMENT · PRIVATE PAY THERAPY · SOUTHPORT, CT
Fees & Investment -
private pay therapy in Southport, CT.
Straightforward pricing, no insurance restrictions, and complete control over your own mental health records. Everything you need to know before you reach out.
Initial session · $275
Ongoing sessions · $250 / 50 min
Free 15-min consultation
FSA · HSA · Superbills provided upon request
CURRENT RATES
Private pay therapy in Southport, CT - clear, straightforward pricing.
Free Consultation
15 minutes · No commitment
Complimentary
Initial Assessment Session
$275
First session · 50 minutes · In person or virtual
Ongoing Individual Sessions
50 minutes · Weekly, especially early in treatment
$250
ABOUT THIS INVESTMENT
Therapy isn't just talking. It's the rare space where real change actually happens.
This work asks something real of you, not just financially, but emotionally and in terms of time and attention. It's a commitment to finally give yourself the kind of care you probably give quite freely to everyone else.
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The investment is meaningful.
And so is what's on the other side of it.
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Quieter anxiety, patterns that stop repeating, decisions made from clarity rather than fear. Those aren't small things. They compound forward into every part of your life.
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If you have questions about fees before you commit to a consultation, I'm happy to answer them directly. There's no paperwork and no obligation involved in reaching out.
Sessions are held weekly, particularly in early treatment, to build momentum and create consistent progress. Frequency is always discussed together and adjusted as your work evolves.
WHY PRIVATE PAY
Not accepting insurance is a deliberate choice - that protects you.
"You get therapy on your terms. That's the whole entire point."
I'm an out-of-network provider. This means you won't be limited to a list of in-network therapists or constrained by what your insurance decides you need. You choose based on fit, not on who happens to be covered.
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When insurance is involved, your treatment isn't just between us. Insurance companies can dictate how long sessions are, they can decide when coverage stops even if our work isn't finished, and they require a formal diagnosis after your very first session. That diagnosis becomes part of your permanent medical record and can affect premiums or eligibility for life insurance down the road.
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They also have the right to request your session notes and treatment records at any time. For clients in professional roles or high-profile positions, and many clients from Fairfield County's communities are, this is not an abstract concern.
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When you work with me privately, none of that applies. Your records stay between us unless you specifically want them shared. There's no outside voice deciding when you've had "enough" therapy. And there's no diagnosis required unless it's clinically meaningful and something you actually want.
WHAT PRIVATE PAY GIVES YOU THAT INSURANCE DOESN'T
→ Complete confidentiality - no insurer has access to your session notes or treatment records
→ No formal diagnosis required unless clinically meaningful and wanted
→ No session caps or coverage limits - we work together as long as the work genuinely serves you
→ No insurance company dictating the length, frequency, or direction of your treatment
→ Freedom to choose based on fit - shown in research to be the most important factor in therapy outcomes
→ No mental health history created in your insurance records that could follow you professionally
OUT-OF-NETWORK REIMBURSEMENT
Many clients receive partial or full reimbursement. Here's how.
Many clients with PPO insurance plans are eligible for partial reimbursement for out-of-network therapy. Depending on your plan, you may be reimbursed for 40 - 80% of session costs. I provide monthly Superbills upon request. These are itemised receipts you can submit directly to your insurance company.
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The process is more straightforward than most people expect. And for clients where out-of-network benefits apply, it can significantly offset the cost of private pay therapy.
QUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR INSURANCE
Call the member services number on the back of your insurance card and ask these specific questions:
→ "What are my out-of-network outpatient mental health benefits?"
→ "Do I have a separate out-of-network deductible, and how much of it has been met?"
→ "What percentage of the allowed amount will you reimburse for individual therapy sessions?"
→ "Is pre-authorisation required for out-of-network mental health services?"
→ "How do I submit a Superbill for reimbursement - by mail, online portal, or fax?"
I recommend calling before our first session so you have a clear picture of your benefits. If you have questions about navigating this process, I'm happy to help you understand what to ask for.
1.
Call your insurance and ask about your OON benefits
Use the questions on the right as your script. The most important number is your out-of-network reimbursement rate for outpatient mental health services.
2.
Request a monthly Superbill from me
After each month of sessions, I provide a detailed Superbill with everything your insurer needs: session dates, CPT codes, diagnosis codes if applicable, and my NPI number.
3.
Submit to your insurance for reimbursement
Mail or upload the Superbill to your insurer. Processing time varies by plan. Many clients receive reimbursement checks within 2 - 4 weeks of submission.
THE REAL CALCULATION
The cost of staying stuck is also a number... it just doesn't show up on an invoice.
"The number in my billing section represents a session. The number that matters more is the compound cost of continuing on the same trajectory without change."
WHAT THIS INVESTMENT PRODUCES OVER TIME
When you look at the cost of private pay therapy, the natural instinct is to compare it to zero - the cost of not going. But that's not the real comparison. The real comparison is the cost of therapy against the cost of staying on the same trajectory without change.
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That might look like years of relationships that follow the same pattern. An anxiety that compounds rather than resolves. Decisions made from fear rather than clarity. The exhaustion of performing competence in every room while running on empty underneath.
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Those aren't small costs. They accumulate, and they often cost far more in the long run than the investment in addressing their root does. The session fee represents a session. What the right therapeutic relationship produces over time represents something much larger.
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Therapy isn't a transaction, it's a relationship. And a therapeutic relationship that doesn't feel right won't move the needle the way the right one will. That's exactly why the free consultation exists: before either of us commits to anything, we should both actually want to be in the room together.
→ Anxiety that quiets - not just managed but actually understood and resolved at the root
→ Patterns that stop repeating - in relationships, in self-sabotage, in the same old choices
→ Decisions made from clarity rather than fear, habit, or other people's expectations
→ A nervous system that can actually rest instead of always scanning for the next threat
→ Relationships that feel genuinely safe rather than something to manage or perform within
→ A version of your life that belongs to you, not the one anxiety, comparison, or habit chose for you
Your Right to a Good Faith Estimate - The No Surprises Act
FEDERAL NOTICE
As a private pay practice, in accordance with federal law, we are required to inform you of your right to receive a "Good Faith Estimate" of expected charges for medical items and services. Under the No Surprises Act, you have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate in writing at least one business day before your medical service or item. You can also ask your health care provider, and any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule an item or service. If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill.
COMMON QUESTIONS
Frequently Asked Questions About Fees & Private Pay Therapy
Do you accept insurance?
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I don't accept insurance directly and am not in-network with any insurance carriers. This is a deliberate choice. When you use insurance for therapy, your insurer has access to your treatment records and can dictate session frequency, length, and when your coverage ends regardless of where you are actually at clinically. Working privately keeps your treatment fully confidential, your records entirely between us, and your therapy on your terms rather than the insurance company's. I provide monthly Superbills so clients with PPO plans can seek out-of-network reimbursement directly from their insurer.
Can I use my FSA or HSA card?
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Yes, FSA (Flexible Spending Account) and HSA (Health Savings Account) cards are accepted for therapy sessions. Therapy with a licensed mental health provider is a qualified medical expense under IRS guidelines, making it eligible for FSA/HSA reimbursement. This can make private pay therapy significantly more accessible for clients who have these accounts available through their employer or health plan. I also accept all major credit cards, checks, and cash.
What is a Superbill and how do I use it?
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A Superbill is an itemised receipt that includes everything your insurance company needs to process a reimbursement claim: session dates, the specific service codes (CPT codes), diagnosis codes if applicable, your therapist's National Provider Identifier (NPI), and the amount paid per session. After each month of sessions, I provide a Superbill upon request. You then submit it directly to your insurance company by mail, online portal, or fax depending on your carrier. Many clients with PPO plans receive 40–80% reimbursement. I recommend calling your insurer before we begin to understand your specific out-of-network benefits.
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Please note that if you choose to utilize your out-of-network benefits and involve your insurance company, they will require a diagnosis for you to get reimbursed, and they may also request access to your records as a condition of reimbursement.
Questions specific to fees, insurance, and payment. For questions about services, my approach, or the location, visit the Services, About, or Location pages.
How much does therapy typically cost per month?
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Most clients begin with weekly sessions, particularly early in the work when consistency creates the most momentum. At $250 per ongoing session, weekly sessions come to approximately $1,000 per month before any out-of-network reimbursement. If you have PPO out-of-network benefits that reimburse 50%, for example, your effective monthly cost would be approximately $500. The initial assessment session is $275. The free 15-minute consultation before that costs nothing. I'm always happy to discuss the financial realities directly, there's no reason for this to be opaque.
Do you offer a sliding scale?
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I don't currently offer a sliding scale. My fees reflect the depth of training, expertise, and clinical attention I bring to each session, and maintaining a sustainable private practice allows me to deliver the quality of work my clients come here for. If the fee is a genuine barrier and out-of-network benefits aren't sufficient to make it workable, I'm happy to talk through the realities honestly during a consultation and help you identify whether there are alternatives that might fit better.
What if I have questions about fees before scheduling?
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Please reach out directly. You can call 203-848-0131, email angelina@angelinamicelilcsw.com, or use the contact form on the website. Questions about fees are reasonable and normal - I'd rather you have clarity before the first conversation than uncertainty after it. A free 15-minute consultation is always available with no commitment required, and it's the right place to ask anything that would help you decide whether moving forward makes sense for you right now.
READY TO BEGIN
The free consultation
costs nothing. Staying stuck does.
A free 15-minute consultation is the right first step - no paperwork, no commitment, no pressure. Just a real conversation about what you're navigating and whether working together makes sense.
$250 per session ongoing · $275 initial · FSA/HSA accepted · Superbills provided