Note: This therapy services review was written for and published on VerywellMind.com in September 2023. However, due to website changes beyond my control, it is no longer available on the site… But the internet gods allowed me to find it in its entirety, so I am re-posting it here . Enjoy!
Growing Self made couples therapy easy, accessible, and comfortable.
My husband and I have been together for over seven years and married for five. We have a loving, stable relationship—but we’re also very different people with very different personalities. This often means a lot of fun learning about each other, but it also sometimes means disagreements—and I’ll admit, sometimes we need help sorting those out. That’s where Growing Self Counseling and Coaching came in.
We were looking for couples therapy without the hassle of spending weeks researching qualified professionals and hoping at least one of them was affordable and taking new clients. Immediately, Growing Self seemed like a great fit—standing out for its expertise in helping couples grow into healthier relationships.
I was instantly excited about testing its services, which I did for just over two weeks. I hoped to find a professional who my husband and I would feel comfortable working with and who could help us reconnect as a couple after spending the last three years focusing on being new parents.
And I have to say we did. During our first appointment, as we recounted our first date, our therapist said, “So you had chemistry; you got along.”
My husband and I smiled at each other. It was a nice reminder. And I instantly understood what made Growing Self’s approach to love and happiness such a hit with its patients—and us.
How I Got Started
The first thing I saw when I went to GrowingSelf.com was the simplicity of the website. A large black bar at the top of the website lists the name of the business, and a large, bright orange button to the right simply says “Get Started.”
Underneath, there is a larger white space that I found to be a little too busy, with options like “Learn + Connect,” “Couples Counseling & Coaching,” “Career Coaching Services,” “Free Resources,” and five more, each linking to a different page on the website. Although I found it encouraging that getting started seemed easy, the list of options for what to click on was overwhelming.
I couldn’t decide if I should read about the business, counseling options, and resources, or just schedule my free consultation—as a bar on the bottom told me I could do right away.
Despite the confusion over what to click on next, learning about Growing Self’s couple’s options was pretty easy—with options such as premarital counseling, financial counseling for couples, affair recovery, and couples therapy. When I scrolled my mouse over the “Couples Counseling & Coaching” section on the website, these different areas of expertise appeared under secondary categories: “For Couples,” “Specialty Services,” “Premarital,” “For Families,” and “For Individuals.” Each of these smaller categories contained five or more specialty pages—such as “relationship coaching” falling under “For Couples,” “long-distance couples therapy” falling under “Specialty Services,” and “blended family counseling” falling under “For Families,” to list just a few.
The site also explains the difference between coaching and therapy—coaching is a short-term, solutions-based approach to solving problems in the here and now, whereas therapy digs into your emotional and psychological history to address more deeply rooted issues. Growing Self offers both.
Here’s the best part: Signing up was so easy.
Getting Started
Once I clicked the “Get Started” button, I was taken to a short intake assessment that began by asking what I was looking for, with options such as couples counseling, dating coaching, and divorce/breakup recovery. Then, I was asked if there were specific concerns I wanted to share to help the company connect me to the relationship expert that suits me and my husband best. I wrote down “finances” and “ADHD/ASD relationship.” The next question was about how we’d prefer to meet—online or in one of two Colorado locations (Denver and Broomfield).
Finally, some other basic questions—my state of residence and whether I’d like to work with a more affordable or a more experienced professional—led me to add my personal information. All I had to do was enter my first and last name and email for my client profile to be created. My husband did not need to enter any information initially, but later on in the process, our therapist created a profile for him so that she could send intake forms that needed his signature (such as a HIPAA statement and a financial agreement).
Once I completed this intake information, I was taken straight to a new page with a list of three recommended therapists based on the information I gave.
While browsing our therapist recommendations, seeing their qualifications and therapy types was easy. Each profile came with a lengthy description from the therapist about the different services they offer and their approaches to each one, as well as a bit about their background.
The therapist we picked had master of arts in counseling (MA), licensed professional counselor (LPC), and marriage and family therapy candidate (MFTC) credentials, but others had various qualifications such as master of science in marriage and family therapy (MS), licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT), clinical professional counselor (CPC), licensed professional clinical counselor (LPCC), and more.
It all happened so fast, but the recommendations were on point since each therapist listed had a specialty in marriage counseling and mentioned finances or detailed their approach in a way that resonated with me. On the same page, I opened another tab with further details about each recommended therapist and their schedules to book the free consultation.
The whole process didn’t take more than 15 minutes.
I know what you’re thinking: How much does Growing Self’s marriage counseling cost?
Cost of Counseling at Growing Self
During the intake assessment, one question was: Would you rather work with a more experienced or affordable expert? Our options were “more experienced,” “more affordable,” or “the best fit.”
On the costs page, it details what you can expect from each option:
- Most Experienced: Doctoral-level clinicians who charge $160 per 45-minute session
- Advanced Clinicians: Fully licensed practitioners with many years in practice who charge $135 per 45-minute session
- Master’s Level Clinicians: Providers with a master’s degree and two to 10 years in practice who charge $115 per 45-minute session
- Early Career Clinicians: Providers who have a master’s degree and are working towards licensure; they charge $105 per 45-minute session
We chose “best fit” and got various recommendations—one doctoral-level and two advanced clinicians—ultimately choosing a therapist in the “advanced clinicians” category who charges $135 for a 45-minute session. We chose our therapist primarily because we liked her profile and she had the most availability for appointments. Depending on your insurance, these costs can also be submitted for reimbursement if there is an official diagnosis (such as an anxiety disorder or ADHD, both of which apply to me)—and our therapist explained this process a bit during our free consultation.
Our therapist specializes in therapy and life coaching, couples counseling and relationship coaching, premarital counseling, and dating coaching. One of our other recommendations detailed her work in couples counseling and relationship coaching, individual therapy, individual coaching, and working with parents, teens, and families.
It wasn’t easy to find someone with a particular expertise, such as finances and ADHD/ASD, as I had written in the intake questionnaire. There’s no search function, which meant we had to read through all three therapist profiles to figure out who was the right fit.
However, what surprised me was that shortly after I completed the intake questionnaire, I received an email and a text from a Growing Self support specialist with the list of our recommendations—the same list I had already seen online. She followed up shortly afterward via email with another recommendation we hadn’t yet seen—but the choice was ultimately up to us.
The only thing that struck me as odd was that our support specialist’s additional recommendation was for a very Christian-focused therapist, which we did not request and was not for us. However, the specialist welcomed my feedback and clarified that she’d continue to help us find the perfect fit. She could provide additional recommendations based on my questions but, since we had already read through the initial recommendations we received online after the intake questionnaire, I no longer needed her help.
Once we picked the therapist we liked, we could see her schedule and simply sign up for one of her available times. All sessions are scheduled online through the client portal, which was my favorite part of the process since it made it exceptionally easy to start therapy.
How Therapy Sessions Work
We could choose how to make appointments—in person or online—during the initial intake questionnaire. Since we’re based near Denver, Colorado, we had the option to meet in person in one of Growing Self’s only two physical offices, both of which are in Colorado (this isn’t an option if you live outside of Denver). However, we opted for online appointments to make the process easier.
The free consultation lasted an hour, with therapy appointments scheduled for 45 minutes. The consultation was easy and mostly focused on learning more about how Growing Self works. The therapist asked us if we had ever worked with someone at Growing Self, gave us details about her background, confirmed with us that we wanted to meet online, asked about our best availability, and detailed the cost of each session and a bit about the possibility of getting reimbursed through a health insurance plan.
The last half of the consultation was about our needs as a couple and what brought us to couples therapy: wanting to get on the same page about finances, the stresses of parenting as two neurodivergent people, and reclaiming intimacy in our relationship when we’re tired at the end of every day. Then she briefly described her therapy style, including that she likes to give homework to teach us tools outside the therapy office (well, virtual office). Finally, we scheduled our first session, discussed the paperwork we’d need to sign beforehand and what the second and third therapy sessions would be like (individual sessions for both myself and my husband to gather information about our backgrounds). She provided us with her email since that is the best way to communicate.
My favorite part of the consultation was that the therapist was very focused on us as a couple; getting to know us, making us comfortable, answering any questions we had, and then repeating to us what we wanted to focus on. She also emphasized that we will focus on how we each talk about our emotions in different ways so that we both feel seen and understood. This last part was especially great to hear because it’s not something we stated directly but was very much beneath the surface.
We really connected with our therapist, which made us feel that her profile matched our experience.
One of the things we liked when we read more about her before our consultation was that she uses evidence-based techniques to help clients build a better understanding of themselves and their partners and will help us increase our connection—which is exactly what was evident from our free consultation alone.
Our First Session
For our first appointment, our therapist was a few minutes late. But it didn’t feel like a big deal since we’re all human, and she adhered to the full 45 minutes (and a few more).
In the first session—primarily focused on our background as a couple—the therapist explained her process, which included her cancellation policy, how to schedule appointments, and that she expects us to act as if we’re in an office together even though we’re on Zoom. So while snacks, water, and bathroom breaks are OK, she does not tolerate smoking, vaping, or alcohol during sessions.
She also made sure we completed the paperwork (demographic information and signing a few legal documents), told us again how to best reach her, and explained technical things such as how and when we would be notified about upcoming appointments. Additionally, she discussed her “no secrets” policy. This meant that if either my husband or I had an individual session with her without our partner, she would not allow us to say, “Please don’t tell my spouse this.” This made both of us feel more comfortable about having individual sessions. It felt like she was reminding us that the focus was on us as a unit and that lying in therapy defeats the purpose.
I’ve personally seen eight therapists throughout my life and, as a couple, we’ve been to two therapists together. This was the first time I felt welcomed as a unit, as a couple.
She paid close attention to both of us, encouraged us to weigh in during our conversation, asked one to pause so the other could respond, and stressed that she was there for both of us. We found that to be a relief and very different from past experiences, which were fine but didn’t emphasize the importance of the couple. In previous couples therapy experiences, there wasn’t much discussion of our background as a couple or as individuals. Instead, it had been focused on the issue of the day.
With our therapist at Growing Self, it was clear that we would be going deep into our past and present to improve our future. She made this clear in the way she spoke to us, the questions she asked, how she explained the beginning few sessions of therapy, and through the “no secrets” policy.
However, she did mention that while Growing Self therapists shared some of the same policies, each was an individual contractor and this meant that some policies and processes would be unique to each therapist—such as the “no secrets” policy, which may not be adopted by all.
Our Next Few Sessions
The second and third sessions were individual sessions with each of us so that she could learn about my history and then my husband’s history before proceeding with the full scope of couples therapy in the fourth session. I admit this felt pricey, but these intro appointments were surprisingly helpful. In the first session, reminiscing about our start as a couple brought on a lot of happy memories and put us at ease with our therapist and comfortable with seeking couples therapy in the first place.
The individual sessions dug into our upbringing and relationship with our parents (including how they viewed finances, which would impact our future discussions in couples therapy) and gave us a chance to detail past relationship history, since some of this may be relevant in future sessions. For instance, I talked about how my previous exes were all extroverts like me and some of the difficulties that my husband and I still occasionally have because he’s someone who needs a lot more time alone than I ever would.
Switching Providers
During the first appointment, we learned about our therapist’s flexible scheduling options, meaning she was open to evening and Saturday appointments. She also detailed to us how easy it is to cancel and reschedule through the Growing Self system.
Changing Appointments
All either of us had to do was log into our client portal, look at upcoming appointments, click the “reschedule” button, and pick from all of the available spots on her calendar. As long as this was done at least 24 hours before an appointment, we wouldn’t get charged a fee. The whole process of rescheduling takes less than five minutes.
Our previous experience with therapists always involved texting and emailing to figure out a new appointment time, which could sometimes take days if the therapist was too busy to respond. I loved how easy the scheduling process was through the Growing Self system.
Additionally, she informed us that if we felt that we didn’t click with her, she would request a “final” session, but that switching providers within Growing Self wouldn’t be difficult—especially since I could easily email the support specialist for assistance. If we chose to do this, we wouldn’t have to start the process all over again in terms of the intake questionnaire and we could choose a provider from our original curated list or ask the support specialist for new recommendations. However, we would need to go through the initial getting-to-know-you sessions all over again. She didn’t specify if we would be able to do a free consultation with the new therapist beforehand.
Pros and Cons
Our experience with Growing Self was a very smooth process from the start and we found a lot of positives to using the service with very few negatives. And to be honest, the negatives were nowhere near as big a deal as the positives.
Pros
- Easy sign-up process
- Personal support specialist to help you find the right therapist
- Different price tiers depending on therapist qualifications and experience
- Simple scheduling, rescheduling, and cancellation procedures
- Easy communication with therapist and staff
- Curated list of therapist recommendations based on intake assessment
- Can submit bills to your insurance company for reimbursement depending on your plan
Cons
- Website is confusing to navigate
- Several background sessions before the real therapy begins
- Therapists are contractors, so each has individual policies
- No way to search for specific specialties
Final Thoughts
Overall, our experience with Growing Self was very positive. In the past, finding a therapist usually involved hours of searching through local reviews and online therapy directories, then calling your options and waiting for them to return your call. It’s a headache. With Growing Self, I filled out the “Get Started” assessment, found a therapist, and scheduled our free consultation all within a few days.
I didn’t expect everything to go so smoothly and quickly. I was pleasantly surprised by the support specialist. We both enjoyed how comfortable our therapist made us feel from the get-go, which isn’t easy when staring at a Zoom window.
One of the things I loved about our experience is how focused on us (as a couple) the therapist was, which is a big part of Growing Self’s mission.
Throughout our appointments, our therapist made sure to pause and point out the positives of our relationship and sum up the challenges we discussed so that everyone was on the same page.
Growing Self User Survey Results
We also surveyed 105 users of Growing Self, and their experiences were similarly positive:
- 90% rated Growing Self as good, very good, or excellent overall
- 89% thought their therapist’s qualifications were good, very good, or excellent
- 68% found a therapist who met all or most of their needs
- 72% were satisfied or very satisfied with the therapist options they were provided
- 69% would recommend the service to a friend or someone like them
I have never found it easy to find a good therapist, so finding a company specializing in what I needed—couples therapy—was a great first step. But what really sold me on Growing Self was that it made finding someone qualified to work with and scheduling time with them so seamless that we’ll definitely be returning often. And the next time a friend tells me she’s looking for a couples therapist, I’ll absolutely send her to Growing Self Counseling and Coaching.