Frequently Asked Questions

Therapy is a collaborative process based on a trusting relationship between you and your therapist. This strong therapeutic alliance allows you to talk freely and openly in a supportive, unbiased, and non-judgmental environment. Together, over a series of appointments, you and your therapist will challenge current patterns that keep you feeling stuck as well as identify and work towards fulfilling goals.

Yes! Therapy is right for everyone. Therapy can help you improve your relationships with your family and friends, help you overcome fears and insecurities, cope with stress, and communicate effectively. You may choose to engage in therapy on a more short-term basis during a time of need or for a longer period of time for support and maintenance. Therapy is about making yourself a priority.

Too often searching for a therapist is a daunting task. Especially when you’re feeling hopeless and vulnerable, finding the right therapist can seem impossible. Where do I even start? How quickly will I be seen? What type of therapy is right for me? At Two Chairs, our licensed therapists work with you to understand your needs, goals, and preferences. Through a rigorous, data-driven approach backed by research and clinical expertise, we match you with the right therapist and type of therapy for your needs.

Research shows that the therapeutic alliance between you and your therapist is the best predictor of successful treatment outcome. Psychologists define the therapeutic alliance as the strength of the therapist and client relationship and how aligned you are on goals. Once you have developed a strong therapeutic alliance with your therapist, studies show that individuals are more productive at work, have more fulfilled relationships, can cope more effectively with daily stressors, and engage in less risky behaviors.

Currently, Two Chairs offers psychotherapy services to those over the age of 18. While we don’t currently offer psychiatric or adolescent services, our therapists can help work with outside providers for your care.

You can expect to be on a 45-minute video call with a licensed Two Chairs therapist who has deep training in making the right match for you. During this conversation, the Two Chairs matching expert will work with you to identify your needs and preferences for therapy, and your scheduling availability. This appointment augments the information you shared when you signed up and provides an opportunity for you to discuss personal questions or concerns you may have about therapy or receiving care at Two Chairs. Based on your conversation, we’ll match you with the best therapist for you based on your needs, goals, and preferences.

If you’re ready to start care, you can book your matching appointment here. If you’d like a closer look at what happens in the matching appointment, you can learn all about it in this blog post.

Once you schedule your Matching appointment, you will receive a link to complete your Two Chairs profile with any further information you would like your matching therapist to know. Please fill this out at least 3 hours before your appointment so they have time to prepare and provide the best experience for you.

If you would like support with insurance, we encourage you to enter your health insurance information into the profile. If you have any questions at all before your Matching appointment, please don’t hesitate to contact the Two Chairs Care Coordination Team team at (415) 202-5159 or support@twochairs.com.

We often have Matching appointments available as soon as the next business day. To find the next available matching appointment, you can begin the scheduling process here.

The Matching appointment costs $260 before insurance reimbursement. For more information about pricing and insurance, visit this page.

To ensure you get the most out of therapy, we take great care to honor your preferences and match you with the right therapist. Average wait times vary based on your clinical needs, preferences, and availability. You'll hear from us as soon as we've identified the right therapist for you. If you have any questions in the meantime, please feel free to contact your matching therapist with any questions regarding your match.

If your needs for therapy have changed, we’ll rematch with a new therapist at no cost to you. If you have any questions about our rematch process, please contact the Two Chairs Care Team team at (415) 202-5159 or support@twochairs.com.

Yes! At Two Chairs, we believe in providing you with quality care, quickly. To set up a matching appointment, you can call us at (415) 202-5159 or you can schedule your appointment online here.

Currently, we only offer appointments from 8am - 6pm Monday through Friday.

Two Chairs can provide therapy over secure video to anyone physically located and residing in California, Florida, or Washington. Two Chairs also provides in-person care in the Bay Area, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Miami. You can view our clinic locations here.

If you travel outside of California, Florida or Washington while in care at Two Chairs, we will not be able to provide care due to licensure regulations. In rare cases, accommodations can be made depending on where you are traveling. If you are an established client with upcoming travel plans, please reach out to your therapist to discuss your options. For matching appointments, you must be physically located in the states of California, Florida or Washington.

You'll hear from us by email as soon as we've identified a great match for you. When you receive that email from us, you will see a link to book your first therapy appointment. You'll need to use that link within a week, as we can only guarantee a therapist's availability for you for 7 days.

Once you meet with your therapist, together you can pick a time that works best for you. Your therapist can schedule regular appointments several weeks in advance to ensure that you have that time together.

If you need to cancel or reschedule an appointment, you can do so by emailing your therapist. If they are out of the office or if you are unable to reach them, please reach out to the Care Coordination Team at support@twochairs.com or by calling us at 415-202-5159.

You can cancel your appointment up to 48 hours before your scheduled therapy without a fee. If you cancel less than 48 hours before your appointment, you will be charged for the full cost of your appointment. To ensure the continuity needed for high-quality care, you are allowed 4 missed appointments (cancellation or no shows), every 6 months (Jan-Jun, Jul-Dec). Our detailed cancellation policy can be found here.

At the start of care, your therapist will discuss your schedule constraints with you and work to find a time slot that works best. If your schedule changes during your course of care, you and your therapist will work together on a new schedule. The more regularly and frequently you attend, the closer you get to accomplishing your treatment goals.

We recognize physical illness and emergencies can’t be predicted. If you are not well enough to meet in-person, 48-hour notice is greatly appreciated, though rare exceptions will be made on a case-by-case basis for illness or emergencies. Please discuss with your therapist directly at your next therapy appointment.

Please reach out to support@twochairs.com and cc your therapist's e-mail and we would be happy to refund the appointment via the payment method that was charged.

With earlier notice, we might be able to reschedule your session. If you give us more than 48-hour notice and we are able to reschedule your session within the same Monday - Friday week, it will not count as a cancellation or towards your missed appointment count. If notice is given less than 48-hours in advance, the appointment will count as a cancellation/missed appointment regardless if we are able to reschedule.

Your therapist will let you know when you are getting close to your allowed number of missed appointments for the 6 month period (Jan-June, July-Dec) and will be able to tell you how many you have at your request.

After 4 missed appointments in a 6 month period (Jan-June, July-Dec) your clinician will have a conversation with you to discuss your care and find a time slot that might work better for you.

Your therapist will do what they can to keep your time slot on their panel, but due to other clients' needs we cannot guarantee that your slot is kept if you are unable to meet physically or virtually during that time period. The farther in advance you are able to give notice, the more likely we will be able to schedule around your travel. As soon as you know of your trip, please tell your therapist so you can plan together accordingly.

During your therapy appointment, you will meet with the therapist with whom you matched. They will also use the first session to understand your goals for therapy and to start building a collaborative therapeutic relationship. This will also be an opportunity to further discuss what frequency of visits is best for you and what to expect from future visits.

During the first few sessions, you and your therapist will work together to determine your goals for therapy, which will serve as a road map for your work together. Throughout your care experience at Two Chairs, our care coordination team will check in with you to monitor your progress, assess what’s working and what can be improved.

Typically, our therapists recommend coming in for appointments on a weekly basis until you have accomplished your initial goals for therapy. However, this varies from person to person, and you and your therapist will work together to determine the cadence that is optimal for your care.

While we don’t offer couples counseling at this time, our therapists can offer individual therapy to you and your partner to discuss any relationship and communication issues. If you and your partner are interested in therapy at Two Chairs, you may book individual matching appointments and be matched with therapists that match your personal needs and preferences.

Hybrid care allows for a combination of virtual and in-person sessions for Two Chairs clients who are located near one of our clinics and would like the option to connect with their therapist in person. With hybrid care, our goal is to help each Two Chairs client find the right therapist and the right setting for therapy — whether that’s from the comfort of your home, or in one of our beautiful clinics. 

‍If you’re interested in starting hybrid care at Two Chairs, the first step is to book your Matching appointment. After you book your appointment, you’ll fill out a client profile, where you can let us know that you’re interested in hybrid care.

Please note: All Matching appointments and first therapy sessions at Two Chairs are held virtually.

If you have any additional questions, please contact the Two Chairs Care Team at (415) 202-5159 or support@twochairs.com.

The short answer is — yes. Teletherapy (particularly over video) has been shown to be as effective as in-person care for a variety of conditions, including PTSD, General Anxiety Disorder, Insomnia, and Eating Disorders.

At Two Chairs, we know that a strong relationship between the client and therapist, also known as the therapeutic alliance, is essential for therapy to be effective. Studies conducted across five different countries show that a strong therapeutic alliance can be developed through tele-based sessions. In fact, when comparing alliance scores for our client-therapist dyads at Two Chairs, we haven’t found a difference between in-person and teletherapy sessions. Both are effective, and when both are available, we work with each client to consider the choice between teletherapy and in-person care, and identify which form of care is the right fit for their goals and preferences.

There are many things you can do to make sure the therapeutic alliance remains strong as you transition to teletherapy—or if you're just starting therapy, there are many steps you can take to build a strong relationship with your therapist from the start in a digital setting.

When the COVID-19 pandemic began, we collected this advice to set our clients up for success in their teletherapy sessions. The biggest takeaways are to be patient with the process, get creative with solutions, and turn to your therapist for guidance on how to navigate the dynamic.

Most insurance plans cover teletherapy services. To confirm coverage for your specific plan, call the number on the back of your insurance card and route to benefits. From there, ask whether CPT code 90837 is covered under your plan. The Two Chairs Care Coordination Team is available to help you navigate insurance—reach out to support@twochairs.com with questions.

Virtual or teletherapy offers an accessible and effective way to get started in care with a therapist who is a great fit for your needs, goals, and preferences. Two Chairs currently offers teletherapy to clients located anywhere in California, Florida, or Washington. To get started, book your Matching appointment. If you have questions about starting care at Two Chairs, please contact our Care Coordination Team at support@twochairs.com or (415) 202-5159.

Search your email for emails from scheduling-noreply@twochairs.com with “Virtual Appointment” in the subject. You’ll find your Zoom URL in the “Joining Info” section of the email.

If you can’t locate your “Virtual Appointment” email invitation, you may need to add scheduling-noreply@twochairs.com to your address book to make sure the invitations are not filtered out of your inbox. If you continue to be unable to locate your emails, please let your clinician know and they can send you your invitation directly. If this problem persists, your clinician will work with our team to find the right ongoing teletherapy solution for you.

We care about the security of your information, and have measures in place to ensure its protection. All teletherapy services are conducted using secure, HIPAA-compliant tools. For more details on how we protect your information, particularly via teletherapy, you can review our practice policies and privacy policy.

Two Chairs has several beautiful clinics across the Bay Area, Los Angeles, Miami, and Seattle for clients who prefer in-person therapy.

If you are ready to start therapy at Two Chairs, the first step is to book your Matching appointment. When booking, you'll have the chance to let us know you prefer in-person therapy.

Please note: All Matching appointments and first therapy sessions at Two Chairs are held virtually, even if you plan to attend ongoing therapy in person.If you have questions about starting care at Two Chairs, please contact our Care Coordination Team at support@twochairs.com or (415) 202-5159.

At Two Chairs, we believe strongly in care tailored to you. A core pillar of this mission is enabled through a practice called measurement-based care. Our approach helps us monitor your progress through regular mental health check-ins and tailor care to match your unique needs, goals, and preferences. While this has been clinically proven to improve outcomes of therapy, we realize there are certain situations where an exception should be made. If you have questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to discuss with your therapist at your next session.

We take the security and privacy of your personal information very seriously. What you share with your therapist through your mental health check-ins will remain confidential and compliant with all applicable privacy regulations. We follow industry best practices to ensure that your personal health information is kept secure.

Two Chairs is an out-of-network provider with most insurance companies. This means that if you have a PPO plan, you may be eligible for reimbursement for a portion of the costs of care once you meet your out-of-network deductible. While we cannot guarantee reimbursement, our Care Team team ensures you are not alone in dealing with insurance companies. We’ll help you understand your benefits and we’ll do everything we can to support you through the process. Contact us at support@twochairs.com for more information about your specific plan.

By providing us your most up-to-date insurance information when you book, we’ll have everything we need to get started. You can also send it to use via email at support@twochairs.com at any time. In most cases, we’ll be able to submit out-of-network claims on your behalf. If we cannot, our Care Coordination Team will reach out and walk you through how to submit them yourself. Please reach out to support@twochairs.com for more information on the claims submission process.

A Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) is a plan with few restrictions to see out-of-network providers. PPO plans typically cover a portion of out-of-network costs. This means that if you have an out-of-network PPO plan, once you meet your out-of-network deductible, you may receive reimbursement for a portion of your costs of care with Two Chairs.

In contrast, an HMO, or a Health Maintenance Organization, is a plan where your primary care provider coordinates your care to in-network providers. HMO plans often do not have any coverage for out-of-network care. This means that if you have an HMO plan, you will not receive any reimbursements for care at Two Chairs. This is the same for EPOs, or Exclusive Provider Organizations. We encourage you to call the phone number on the back of your insurance card to confirm your out-of-network coverage if you are unsure.

Often Open Access and POS plans function as PPO plans; and often Medi-Cal, Medicare, and Medicaid operate as HMO plans.

For out-of-network clients, this depends on your specific insurance plan, out-of-network deductible, coinsurance rate, allowed amount, and the type of medical service you received. Here is a resource to help you ask your insurance company the right questions. Reimbursement rates vary widely by zip code, insurance company, and plan type. Please reach out to support@twochairs.com for help understanding your out-of-network benefits, or call us at (415) 202-5159.

The allowed amount is the maximum amount an insurance plan will cover for a certain health care service. It may also be referred to as the “eligible expense,” “payment allowance,” or “negotiated rate.” This amount is used in most calculations made by insurance companies. This number is often tricky to obtain, and to do so, you’ll need to call the Member Services number on the back of your insurance card, or wait for your first Explanation of Benefits to come back after your first claim is submitted.

A deductible is the amount you pay out-of-pocket for care until your insurance benefits kick in. If Two Chairs is out-of-network with your insurance, the allowed amount for services at Two Chairs will count toward your out-of-network deductible until you’ve fully met that deductible.

For example, if you have a $1000 out-of-network deductible and an allowed amount for an ongoing therapy appointment of $130, it will take ($1000/$130) about 8 sessions to reach your deductible.

Coinsurance is the percentage of costs that you pay for an out-of-network health care service after you've met your deductible. The coinsurance percentage is applied to the allowed amount, and you are also responsible for any remaining difference between the allowed amount and the actual cost of an appointment. Most coinsurance rates vary between 10% and 50%.

For example, for a $218 Two Chairs appointment, if you have an allowed amount of $120 and a coinsurance of 30%, you are responsible for paying (30% of $120) + ($218 - $120) = $134 per appointment after you've met your out-of-network deductible.

On average, it can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months for claims to be processed, but specific timelines depend on your insurance company and the complexity of your claim. Once the claim has been submitted, the best contact for a status update is your insurance company’s Member Services, or your online insurance portal. Member Services phone number can be located on the back of your insurance card.

Your insurance company will issue you a check and send it to the mailing address they have on file for you.

Since we will have already accepted payment for our services, we will attempt to have the check re-routed correctly to you. Given that this typically happens as a mistake of the insurance provider, the correction process can take up to several months to resolve.

Flexible spending accounts (FSA) and health savings accounts (HSA) are programs that allow you to set aside money (before taxes) for specific health care expenses. These accounts are intended to help you pay for out-of-pocket costs. If you’re unsure whether or not you have an FSA or HSA, please check with your employer or insurance company.

Yes, you can! Two Chairs accepts FSA/HSA dollars as long as your FSA/HSA card is affiliated with a major credit card. If you would like to use your FSA/HSA card to pay for your care, please enter the payment information when you schedule your matching appointment or call us at 415-202-5159 and we can help get you set up. We can also provide you with any necessary paperwork to get reimbursed if your FSA/HSA account doesn’t have an associated debit card. A note that submitting receipts tends to be easier if you are also submitting your claims to your insurance company, and can ensure that you are making the most of your FSA/HSA benefits.

Two Chairs receives a limited number of in-network referrals from KP Northern California and KP Washington each week. If you have active insurance coverage through either of these KP networks, you may be eligible to receive a referral to Two Chairs. With an active referral authorization to Two Chairs, your in-network benefits will apply to your Two Chairs sessions. This means you will pay your copay to Two Chairs, and we will handle the rest. Please note that at this time we do not accept referrals from KP Southern California or any other KP networks.

It typically takes 3-5 days for your Kaiser Permanente referral to process, at which point you will receive an email from our Care Coordination team with the link to book your matching appointment. If you’re a Kaiser Permanente Washington member, you do not need to wait for the referral to come through to book your matching appointment. If you have not received any outreach from Two Chairs within 5 business days of receiving your referral, please give us a call at 415-202-5159. You can also email us as support@twochairs.com.

Two Chairs is proud to provide in-network therapy services for Kaiser Permanente Northern California and Kaiser Permanente Washington members. If you are a Kaiser Permanente Northern California member, please speak with your primary care provider about getting a referral for therapy at Two Chairs or reach out to us. Kaiser Permanente Washington members do not need a referral.

At Two Chairs, we believe strongly in care tailored to you. A core pillar of this mission is enabled through a practice called measurement-based care. Our approach helps us monitor your progress through regular mental health check-ins and tailor care to match your unique needs, goals, and preferences. While this has been clinically proven to improve outcomes of therapy, we realize there are certain situations where an exception should be made. If you have questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to discuss with your therapist at your next session.

We take the security and privacy of your personal information very seriously. What you share with your therapist through your mental health check-ins will remain confidential and compliant with all applicable privacy regulations. We follow industry best practices to ensure that your personal health information is kept secure.