Coastal Therapy Group · North County San Diego
Single SessionConsultation
One conversation, held well.
One extended appointment with a licensed psychologist, built around one specific thing you want to think through. No intake process. No treatment plan. No expectation that you keep coming. Just the session itself, and what you leave with.
The format
Not a course of therapy.
One thoughtful conversation.
Most therapy unfolds over weeks or months. A Single Session Consultation is different on purpose: one extended appointment, structured around the specific question, decision, or relational dynamic you want to work on.
Sessions run 60 minutes, 90 minutes, 110 minutes, or three hours, depending on what you're bringing and whether you're coming alone or with another person. You spend that time with a licensed psychologist who is there to help you think more clearly, find language for what you're experiencing, and leave with a sense of what to do next.
There is no treatment plan, no diagnostic workup, and no follow-up sessions on the calendar afterward. The session itself is the entire engagement.
Who this is for
01 / 06
A decision you keep circling.
Whether to leave a job, end a relationship, move, have a child, change careers. You've already done the thinking. You want to do it out loud with someone who can hold the shape of it with you.
02 / 06
A conversation you're preparing to have.
Telling a parent something difficult. Setting a boundary with a partner. Coming out to someone. Asking for something at work. You want to walk in with more clarity about what you actually want to say.
03 / 06
A recent transition you're still inside.
A move, a breakup, the loss of a friendship, a new role, a death. You don't necessarily need long-term therapy. You need one good conversation to help you make sense of where you are.
04 / 06
A pattern in one relationship.
The same argument with a partner, a parent, a sibling, a colleague. You want to understand what's underneath the pattern instead of just rehearsing it again.
05 / 06
A reset inside therapy you're already in.
You're working with another therapist and something specific has come up you'd like to think through with fresh eyes, without disrupting the work you're doing elsewhere.
06 / 06
A way to try therapy on something real.
You've never done this before and you want one focused conversation on something that actually matters before deciding whether to commit to ongoing work.
When it's not the right format
We'd rather steer you somewhere that fits.
A Single Session Consultation is built for one focused, bounded conversation. It's not the right format when:
01
You're in crisis or thinking about harming yourself.
Please call or text 988 or go to your nearest emergency room. We can talk about ongoing care once you're safe.
02
You're navigating something chronic or longstanding.
This format is built for one bounded conversation. Chronic or longstanding work needs the continuity of ongoing care.
03
Insurance reimbursement is essential to you.
We don't bill insurance directly, and a single session may not produce the diagnosis your insurer needs.
04
You want a continuous therapeutic relationship.
That's what our ongoing therapy is for, and what most people actually need.
05
You're a minor.
This service is currently for adults 18 and older. For younger clients, see our child and adolescent therapy.
06
You're not located in California.
Our psychologists are licensed here and can only work with people physically located in the state at the time of the session.
If any of these describe you, ongoing therapy is likely a better fit. If you're not sure, book the 15-minute call and we'll help you figure it out honestly.
The point of the session
Three things you should expect to walk out with.
If any of these describe you, ongoing therapy is likely a better fit. If you're not sure, book the 15-minute call and we'll help you figure it out honestly.
Clarity about the thing itself.
Whatever you came in with, you'll leave with a more precise understanding of what's actually going on. The decision sharpens. The pattern becomes legible. The feeling has a name.
Language you didn't have before.
A way of describing what's happening, to yourself, to your partner, to your therapist, to whoever needs to know. Often the most useful thing about one good conversation is leaving with the words.
A sense of what to do next.
Not a prescription. A direction. Sometimes that's a concrete step. Sometimes it's permission to wait. Sometimes it's a clear recommendation to begin ongoing therapy, with us or elsewhere.
What to expect
How a Single Session works.
Pick the length that fits what you're bringing. Couples, dyads, and families get longer sessions because two people need more room.
Format
Standalone. No package, no ongoing commitment.
Individuals
$345 / $520
Couples, dyads & families
$600 / $900
Location
Or online anywhere in California
First step
To confirm fit and session length
Payment
Superbills possible; not guaranteed
A dyad is any two-person relationship who wants to work on something together. Most often a couple, but it can also be a parent and an adult child, two friends, two siblings, or two colleagues. Three or more people calls for a different format, and we'll point you toward family therapy if that's where you are.
How to begin
Every Single Session starts with a 15-minute call.
No forms, no commitment. The call is for both of us, so we can make sure this format fits before you book.
The free 15-minute call.
A short conversation with our care coordinator to confirm the format is a good fit for what you're bringing, recommend a session length, and match you with the right psychologist.
The session itself.
Held in person at one of our offices or by secure video anywhere in California. Payment is collected at the time of booking. The consent form goes out by email beforehand.
Whatever comes next.
Sometimes that's nothing. Sometimes it's a referral. Sometimes it's a recommendation to begin ongoing therapy. Whatever the psychologist recommends, you're never obligated.
Free · No commitment
Where this fits
Three ways to begin with us.
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This page
Single Session Consultation
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Three sessions
Insight Sessions
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Ongoing
Ongoing Therapy
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| Length | One session, 60 min to 3 hours | Three appointments over a few weeks | Weekly, ongoing |
| What it is | One focused conversation about a specific issue. | A clinical intake, psychological assessments, and a feedback session. | A continuous therapeutic relationship. |
| Best for | A bounded question, decision, or relational dynamic. | Understanding patterns in mood, personality, coping, or cognition. | Working through something deeper or longer-term. |
| Diagnosis? | Sometimes, if clinically appropriate. | Sometimes, if clinically appropriate. | As part of treatment. |
| Investment | $345 – $900 | $840 | Per session, weekly |
Who you'll see
Held by psychologists trained to do this well.
Single Session Consultations require a particular skill set: helping someone open up the right amount in a finite window, working with what surfaces, and bringing the session to a thoughtful close with the person clearer than they came in.
Dr. Julieta Aguilera Rice brought this model to Coastal Therapy Group, and additional psychologists on our team will offer it as the service grows.
Dr. Aguilera Rice works with children, adolescents, and adults, with particular focus on anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, and ADHD. At Coastal Therapy Group she leads the Connected Parenting Group, co-leads the in-person Grief Group, and sees individual, couples, and family clients at our Carlsbad office. She speaks English, Spanish, and French.
Questions people ask before booking
A few things people ask before the first call.
Do I have to start ongoing therapy afterward?
No. A Single Session Consultation is designed as a standalone service. If during the session it becomes clear that ongoing work would be helpful, the psychologist will say so and may offer a referral, but you're never obligated.
Can I start ongoing therapy at CTG afterward if I want to?
Yes. Many people use a Single Session as a low-pressure way to find out whether therapy is useful before committing to more. If you want to continue, it would begin as a separate engagement with its own intake.
Will I receive a diagnosis?
Sometimes. A diagnosis may be provided if it's clinically appropriate. One session isn't always enough information to assign one with confidence, and for many people a diagnosis isn't needed to do meaningful work.
Can I submit a superbill to my insurance?
A superbill requires a diagnosis. If a diagnosis is clinically appropriate, a superbill can be issued for you to submit to your insurer. We can't guarantee that a diagnosis will be provided or that your insurer will reimburse. If insurance coverage is essential, our ongoing therapy services are usually a better fit.
What's the difference between this and Insight Sessions?
Insight Sessions are a three-appointment process that includes a clinical intake, a set of psychological assessments, and a feedback session. They're designed to give you a fuller picture of patterns in mood, personality, coping, or cognition. A Single Session Consultation is one focused conversation. Different shape, different use case.
What's the difference between this and a Couples Intensive?
A Couples Intensive is a longer, more structured therapeutic deep dive built around your relationship, often with assessment and follow-up sessions. A Single Session Consultation is one focused conversation about a specific dynamic or decision. Both are valid for couples; we'll help you figure out which fits on the 15-minute call.
Can I bring my partner, parent, or close friend?
Yes. Two-person sessions are 110 minutes ($600) or 3 hours ($900). The other person needs to consent, and they'll be part of the 15-minute consultation call as well.
Is it in person or online?
Both. We see Single Session clients in person at our Carlsbad, Encinitas, and Vista offices, and by secure video anywhere in California.
What if I realize during the session that I want more time?
It happens. If it's clear partway through that one session isn't enough, or something surfaces that calls for ongoing care, the psychologist will say so and talk with you about next steps.
Do you offer this for kids or teens?
Not currently. Single Session Consultation is available to adults 18 and older. For younger clients, please see our child and adolescent therapy and Insight Sessions options.
Begin
One good conversation can move a lot.
If a Single Session Consultation sounds like the right fit for what you're carrying, the first step is a free 15-minute call with our care coordinator. We'll confirm fit, recommend a session length, and match you with the right psychologist. If it turns out a different format would serve you better, we'll tell you that honestly.
(760) 334-6262
Mon – Fri, 9a – 5p Pacific
hello@coastaltherapygroup.com
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Carlsbad · Encinitas · Vista
Or online anywhere in California
A relational psychodynamic group practice in North County San Diego.
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