Individual therapy is one-on-one talk therapy with a licensed therapist focused on a specific person’s goals, symptoms, and history. We match you with licensed therapists for individual therapy addressing anxiety, depression, trauma, life transitions, and relationship patterns. Insurance is verified before your first session
What Individual Therapy Is And Who It Is For
Individual therapy is the most-common form of mental-health treatment: weekly or biweekly sessions, typically 45 to 60 minutes, with a licensed therapist. Sessions focus on your specific situation, the patterns you want to change, and the goals you set together. Unlike group or family therapy, individual therapy is private and the agenda is yours alone.
Individual therapy fits adults working on a specific concern or pattern they want to change with one-on-one professional support. Common reasons people start individual therapy include:
- Anxiety that interferes with work, relationships, or sleep
- Depression or persistent low mood that has lasted more than a few weeks
- Trauma history or PTSD symptoms affecting daily life
- Relationship difficulties or recurring patterns in relationships
- Major life transitions: divorce, loss, career change, identity shift
- Stress, burnout, or feeling stuck in patterns that no longer fit
- Grief that feels heavier or longer than expected
- Wanting structured time to think through a decision or direction
Therapeutic Approaches We Match For
Therapists in our network use evidence-based approaches matched to what you are working on. The matched therapist may use one primary approach or combine several based on your goals.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
CBT is the most-evidenced approach for anxiety, depression, and many other concerns. CBT focuses on the connection between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, and teaches concrete skills to change patterns that keep symptoms in place. A typical CBT course runs 12 to 20 weekly sessions for a specific concern.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
DBT teaches four skill sets: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. DBT is the standard treatment for borderline personality disorder and is widely used for emotion dysregulation, self-harm, and chronic suicidality. Individual DBT often includes skills practice between sessions.
Psychodynamic and insight-oriented therapy
Psychodynamic therapy works with patterns rooted in early relationships and unconscious dynamics. Sessions explore connections between past and present and tend to be more open-ended than skills-based approaches. Treatment length varies; many people work psychodynamically for a year or longer.
Trauma-focused approaches
For trauma history or PTSD, therapists in our network use approaches including EMDR, trauma-focused CBT (TF-CBT), and somatic therapies. Trauma work is typically structured around specific target memories or symptom clusters and runs alongside or after stabilization work.
Other approaches
Internal Family Systems (IFS), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), interpersonal therapy (IPT), and humanistic or existential approaches are also represented in our network. The matched therapist’s approach is shared during matching so you know what to expect.
How Matching Works
We are a matching service. You tell us what you want to work on, your preferences (in-person or online, gender of therapist, schedule, insurance), and we match you with a licensed therapist who has openings.
After you submit the form or call us, a member of our intake team contacts you within 24 hours to discuss what you are working on and which approach fits. We then reach out to therapists in our network whose specialties match your situation and who have current availability, and we share their information, schedule, and rates with you.
You decide which therapist to start with. The matched therapist’s practice handles intake, insurance verification, and ongoing care directly with you. Many people meet 1 to 3 therapists before committing to one, and we support that process at no charge.
Individual Therapy Vs Group Therapy
Individual and group therapy can stand alone or work together. The matched therapist or our intake team can help you decide which fits, or whether both serve your goals.
Dimension | Individual therapy | Group therapy |
Format | One-on-one with a licensed therapist | Small group of 6 to 12 members with one or two facilitators |
Session length | 45 to 60 minutes weekly or biweekly | 60 to 90 minutes weekly |
Focus | Your specific history, goals, and patterns | A shared concern (anxiety, grief, trauma, addiction) or a skills curriculum (DBT, CBT) |
Best for | Trauma history, specific patterns, situations requiring privacy, anyone wanting individualized pacing | Reducing isolation, learning from peers, structured skills practice, lower-cost option |
Course length | Open-ended; many people work 6 months to 2 years or longer | Often 8 to 16 weeks for skills groups; ongoing for support groups |
Many people start with individual therapy, add a group format when ready, or use both at the same time when a specific group skill set (DBT, relapse prevention) supplements their individual work.
Insurance And Fees
We work with most major insurance plans. The matched therapist’s practice verifies your benefits before your first session. Many therapists in our network offer sliding scale fees based on income, with eligibility set by each therapist’s practice.
Most commercial carriers, including Aetna, Anthem, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and UnitedHealthcare, cover individual therapy as an outpatient mental-health benefit. We do not quote rates because they vary by therapist and plan; after you are matched, the practice handles billing and shares specific cost details. Insurance verification typically takes about 15 minutes for plans without prior authorization, and 1 to 3 business days for plans that require it.
Other Services We Match For
Individual therapy frequently works alongside or precedes other formats. We match for the full continuum:
- Family therapy
- Group therapy
- Trauma therapy
- EMDR therapy
- Aftercare planning
- Medication management
For questions about therapy cost, insurance coverage specifics, or how individual and family therapy compare, the following resources cover common questions in depth:
Medical Reviewer
This page was reviewed by Dr. Courtney Scott, MD, a physician with credentials in Emergency Medicine, Internal Medicine, and Addiction Medicine. Dr. Scott completed medical school at the Keck School of Medicine at USC and has more than a decade of experience in behavioral health. Clinical care for the people we match is provided by the licensed therapists in our network, not by Dr. Scott directly.
Frequently asked Questions
What happens in a first individual therapy session?
The first session is typically a clinical intake: the therapist asks about your history, current concerns, prior treatment, and goals. You discuss how you want to work together and what to expect. The first session is usually 60 minutes; ongoing sessions are typically 45 to 60 minutes.
How often will I have sessions?
Weekly sessions are the most common starting cadence and are recommended during the first 6 to 12 weeks of active work. After that, many people move to biweekly or monthly sessions as goals shift toward maintenance. The matched therapist sets the cadence with you based on what you are working on.
How long does individual therapy take?
Course length depends on what you are working on, with focused work on a specific concern (anxiety, a single life transition) often taking 12 to 20 sessions. Trauma work, longstanding patterns, or open-ended growth typically runs 6 months to 2 years or longer. The matched therapist reviews progress with you every few months.
Can I do individual therapy online?
Yes. Most therapists in our network offer telehealth via HIPAA-compliant video platforms, and online therapy is supported by research for most concerns. Some clinicians prefer in-person for severe trauma work, and the matched therapist’s format is shared during matching.
Does insurance cover individual therapy?
Yes, for most plans. Commercial carriers (Aetna, Anthem, Blue Cross Blue Shield, UnitedHealthcare) cover individual therapy as a behavioral-health benefit. Coverage details vary by plan and the matched therapist’s practice verifies your benefits before your first session.
What if my therapist is not the right fit?
Fit between you and your therapist is the strongest predictor of progress, and not every match works. You can request a different therapist from our matching team at any time at no charge, and we help with the transition. Many people meet 1 to 3 therapists before settling on one.
Is individual therapy confidential?
Yes. Therapists in our network are bound by HIPAA and by professional confidentiality rules. Information about your treatment is shared only with your written consent, with a few legally-required exceptions (imminent harm to self or others, abuse of a child or vulnerable adult, court order).
How quickly can I start individual therapy?
Most people are matched with a therapist within a few days of reaching out. The first appointment is usually scheduled within 1 to 2 weeks depending on therapist availability. Insurance verification can add 1 to 3 business days for plans that require prior authorization.