Frequently
Asked Questions
Everything you want to know about starting therapy at BIPS — from fees and insurance to what sessions actually look like.
Still have a question? Just ask us directly.
Contact our intake team →Beginning therapy
at BIPS
Register as a new patient using our contact form. Provide your insurance information and scheduling preferences, and our intake coordinator will verify your benefits, confirm your fee, and match you with the right clinician — before you commit to anything.
You'll then be invited to our secure patient portal to complete easy paperwork and upload your insurance cards. From there, your first session can be scheduled.
We take matching seriously. You'll be paired with a clinician whose training, certifications, clinical niche, and approach fit what you're navigating — not whoever has an opening.
When you register, you'll share your concerns, goals, and any preferences you have about your therapist. Our intake team uses this to make a thoughtful recommendation. If the match doesn't feel right after your first session, we'll help you find a better fit.
Individual clinicians may offer brief phone consultations — contact us to ask. Our intake coordinator is also happy to answer questions about fit, fees, and next steps before you commit to registering.
Wait times vary by clinician, specialty, and scheduling availability. Many clients are matched within 24–48 business hours of registering. If you have an urgent need, let us know and we'll do our best to prioritize your intake.
Costs & coverage
explained
Fees depend on clinician level and specialization:
- Advanced clinical interns: $50–75 (September – May)
- Master's-level therapists: $100–225
- Senior staff psychotherapists: $225–400
- Couples therapy: $130–350 per session
- Couples intensives: $2,000–2,200
- Psychiatric Diagnostic Evaluation: $495
A limited number of pay-what-you-can sessions are also available. See our full fees page →
Some BIPS clinicians are in-network with Aetna and Northwell Direct for New York clients. In Massachusetts and Oregon, some clinicians accept Aetna, BCBS, and select regional plans.
All other services are considered out-of-network. We provide superbills and handle claim submission on your behalf, so you can maximize your out-of-network benefits without the administrative burden.
We are not in-network with Medicaid or Community Plans. These clients may be eligible for low-fee private pay arrangements — contact us to discuss.
If your plan has out-of-network benefits — which many PPO plans do — you pay our fee upfront and we provide you with a superbill (a detailed insurance receipt). You submit this to your insurance company, and they reimburse you directly, often 40–80% of the session cost after your deductible is met. Most clients end up spending between $20–100 per session out of pocket, once their deductible has been met.
We handle the claim submission process on your behalf so you don't have to manage it yourself. Contact us and we can help you understand your specific benefits before you begin.
Yes. We offer a limited number of pay-what-you-can sessions as part of our commitment to accessibility and social justice in practice. Ask about availability when you register.
Our advanced clinical intern tier ($50–75) also provides high-quality, closely supervised therapy at a significantly reduced rate.
Under the No Surprises Act (effective January 1, 2022), you have the right to a written estimate of your expected costs before beginning treatment if you are uninsured or not using insurance. We provide Good Faith Estimates in accordance with this law.
If your actual bill is $400 or more above your estimate, you have the right to dispute it. For more information, visit cms.gov/nosurprises.
What to expect
in sessions
BIPS offers integrative psychodynamic psychotherapy as its foundation — a relational, depth-focused approach that explores how early experiences, internalized patterns, and unconscious dynamics shape your present life and relationships.
Our clinicians also use a range of evidence-based approaches tailored to your specific concerns, including:
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) — a trauma-focused therapy that uses guided eye movements to help process distressing memories
- Internal Family Systems (IFS) — works with different 'parts' of your personality to reduce internal conflict and build self-compassion
- Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP) — a relational approach that uses emotion and connection to support healing
- Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) — an attachment-based couples therapy that helps partners identify and shift negative relationship patterns
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) — a structured approach that identifies and changes unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors
- Exposure and Response Prevention (ExRP) — the gold-standard treatment for OCD, involving gradual, structured exposure to fears
- Somatic therapy — body-based techniques for nervous system regulation and trauma healing
Individual sessions are typically 45–60 minutes. Couples sessions run 60–90 minutes. We offer a weekly session cadence by default, but can accommodate irregular schedules if requested — frequency is always tailored to your goals and circumstances.
There is no one-size answer. Some clients come for a focused period of a few months around a specific concern. Others engage in longer-term work that deepens over years. We work at the pace that honors your process — with clear, ongoing conversation about your goals and how therapy is serving them.
Yes — extensively. Every BIPS clinician receives several hours of clinical supervision and education per week, targeted to their area of specialization. Our clinicians hold advanced certifications in their specialty areas, earned through rigorous post-graduate training programs.
All pre-licensed clinicians are supervised by doctoral-level psychologists, licensed clinical social workers (LCSW), and licensed mental health counselors (LMHC). Each supervisor brings a unique background, contributing to the diversity and multifaceted nature of BIPS.
The therapeutic relationship is one of the strongest predictors of outcome in therapy — so fit matters. If something isn't working, we want to know. You can speak directly with your therapist, or contact our intake coordinator to discuss a rematch. We take this seriously and will work with you to find a better fit within our practice.
Locations, telehealth
& practical matters
BIPS has three in-person locations in New York:
- Greenpoint, Brooklyn — 117 Dobbin St
- Union Square, Manhattan — 18 E 16th St
- Midtown West, Manhattan — 850 7th Ave
Telehealth sessions are available for clients throughout New York State, Massachusetts, and Oregon.
Yes. Video therapy sessions are available for clients in New York, Massachusetts, and Oregon via our secure patient portal or HIPAA-compliant telehealth platform. Online therapy is as effective as in-person therapy for most concerns, and insurance coverage is generally equivalent.
Yes — unconditionally. BIPS is affirming across gender identity, sexuality, race, culture, religion, body, and relationship structure. This is not conditional and it is not negotiable.
The BIPS Gender Care Program specifically serves transgender and gender-diverse clients with non-judgmental, affirming care — including ongoing therapy, evaluations, letters of medical necessity, and coordination with outside medical providers.
BIPS has a strict 24-hour cancellation policy. Late cancellations and no-shows are subject to a fee, as we have the utmost respect for our therapists' time and dedication. That said, we will always offer a makeup session — because your care matters too.
Your therapist will review the specific details of the policy with you in your first session, and it will be outlined in your intake paperwork.
Yes. All clinical information is confidential and protected under HIPAA (federal health privacy law). There are limited legal exceptions — including imminent risk of harm to yourself or others, and mandatory reporting requirements for child abuse — which your therapist will review with you in your first session.
We use a secure, HIPAA-compliant patient portal for all documentation, billing, and video sessions.
BIPS does not use or endorse any artificial intelligence platform that contains patient data. Anonymity is prioritized whenever possible across all of our systems and communications.
Still have a question?
Just ask — no commitment required.
Our intake coordinator will get back to you within one business day.
Ready to get started?
Register as a new patient →