Frequently Asked Questions

How much does therapy cost through Unmute?

Our out of pocket rate is $150 per session, for those who qualify for financial assistance the cost can be as low as $100 per session. Please keep in mind that the average cost of therapy in New York is currently $250 per session. Unmute is committed to making therapy as accessible as possible.
If your Unmute therapist is not in your insurance network, then you will have to pay the full price of the session upfront. Fortunately, depending on your health insurance plan, your insurance company may help reimburse a portion of the cost by mailing you a check. If you have a PPO or POS health insurance plan, you’ll get back partial reimbursement for out-of-network services, making therapy more cost-effective and budget-friendly.We recommend, as a first step, checking with your insurance provider to confirm your coverage levels prior to beginning your first session.

What type of insurance does Unmute take?

We are currently in-network with Aetna, BCBS, Oscar, Oxford, and United Healthcare. Patients are responsible for meeting their deductible or co-pay, please verify with your insurance company prior to your first session to determine your benefits.
Which states is Unmute currently available in?
- Our therapy services are currently available to residents who are physically residing in New York only. We will be expanding to more states soon, please submit an intake form and you’ll be added to our waitlist and notified as we grow our presence.

What type of cultural training do Unmute therapists complete?

Unmute clinicians are fully licensed therapists and have completed 10+ hours certification in Unmute’s Multicultural Training Institute. These modules include training in trauma-informed care, broaching race in therapy, and repairing ruptures in the relationship. By training our clinicians to embody anti-oppressive principles in practice, we deepen their capacity to empower BIPOC patients to lean on cultural strengths, practice new skills, and engage in problem-solving to address the root causes of their difficulties.

What is the therapeutic alliance and why is it important to BIPOC patients’ success?

The therapeutic alliance refers to the collaborative relationship between therapist and client and consists of three essential elements:

Agreement on the treatment goals
Agreement on the treatment tasks (e.g., methods to achieve those goals, related to the credibility of the therapy techniques used)
Development of a personal bond made up of mutual positive regard (trust, respect, liking) including the client’s belief in the therapist’s ability to help them.

The alliance is theorized to influence treatment outcome because it enables the patient to accept, follow, and believe in the treatment (e.g., have hope it will work). A strong therapeutic alliance also enables the client and therapist to work through inevitable moments of conflict or misunderstandings, which often offer important opportunities for growth.

What does it mean that I’ll be a part of a clinical research group? And what does that entail for my treatment?

To advance equity in mental health care, it is critical that all people, including people of color, are represented in clinical research. Today, 70% of clinical research study participants are white. Receiving therapy through Unmute requires your consent to having your tele-therapy sessions video recorded for training and evaluation purposes. In addition, you will be required to complete 6 brief online surveys about your experiences of care and compensated $20 per completed survey.

Why will my therapy sessions be recorded?

Because Unmute provides a teaching-training function to its clinicians, we request your permission to audiotape and/or videotape your sessions. Review of the session recordings is a standard component of clinician training and supervision to ensure that you are receiving the highest quality of care. Session recordings will not be shared outside the context of clinical supervision and for research purposes. Feel free to ask your therapist any questions about the purpose of taping and use of the tapes.

You can read more about our privacy and confidentiality policy here.

Will my therapy sessions be confidential?

Confidentiality of your data, including survey data and video/audio recordings, will be strictly maintained, and shared only with your provider and supervision team to ensure quality of care. Upon completing your treatment, Unmute will remove all personally identifying information (such as your name) from your data. The de-identified data will be kept indefinitely for future research purposes. Data will be stored on password-protected computers and a cloud-based back-up system. In written reports, data will only be reported in the aggregate.

You can read more about our privacy and confidentiality policy here.

Why a 15-week therapy program?

Unmute does not have a standardized treatment program for all. We do not use a cookie cutter approach towards therapy; instead, our clinicians will co-create treatment plans that are not only effective, but also culturally affirming, ensuring that your unique background and values are honored throughout your therapy journey.
Unmute’s approach to therapy is grounded in evidence-based psychotherapies integrated with culturally affirming and anti-oppressive techniques which have been proven to be effective in as little as 12-14 sessions. Unmute’s Model of Care has been developed in collaboration with internationally recognized psychotherapy researchers who have decades of experience studying best practices of treatment with culturally diverse populations and the therapeutic alliance.

What if I need more than 15 weekly sessions of therapy?

Most clients will wrap up their therapeutic journey with Unmute in about 15 sessions. Some clients may move from weekly sessions to bi-weekly sessions, depending on their progress, this will be mutually decided between you and your therapist.