Best Marriage Therapists in Scottsdale, AZ (2025 Guide)

You're sitting at Scottsdale Quarter at 11pm, googling "marriage counseling near me." You're not sure therapy can fix this, but you're willing to try. Your marriage is falling apart and you don't know what else to do.

Here's what you need to know about marriage counseling in Scottsdale—what it costs, what actually works, and which therapists are worth calling.

Can Therapy Actually Help?

The research says yes—about 70% of couples who commit to marriage therapy see significant improvement. That's pretty good odds.

But "commit" is the key word. Therapy works when:

• Both people genuinely want to improve the relationship

• You're both willing to take responsibility for your part

• You haven't completely checked out emotionally

• There's no active, ongoing affair (past affairs can be worked through)

• You can be civil to each other for an hour

• You're willing to do the homework between sessions

Therapy doesn't work when:

• One person has already decided to divorce and is just going through the motions

• There's ongoing substance abuse without treatment

• There's physical violence (individual therapy and safety planning needed first)

• One or both partners refuse to participate honestly

• You're completely done—emotionally divorced already

Even if therapy doesn't save your marriage, it can help you:

• Divorce more amicably

• Co-parent better after divorce

• Understand what went wrong

• Avoid making the same mistakes next time

In Scottsdale, where contested divorces cost $24,000-$60,000 total for both spouses, spending $1,800-$5,000 on therapy is worth trying. Even if it just makes your eventual divorce less expensive and traumatic.

What It Costs in Scottsdale

Marriage therapy in Scottsdale is expensive—you're paying luxury market rates.

Session rates (50-60 minutes):

• Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW): $150-$180/session

• Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT): $160-$200/session

• Licensed Psychologist (PhD or PsyD): $200-$250/session

How many sessions do you need?

• Crisis intervention: 6-10 sessions (2-3 months)

• Relationship repair: 12-20 sessions (3-6 months)

• Maintenance: Monthly check-ins after intensive work

Most couples start with weekly sessions for 8-12 weeks, then space to every other week.

Total cost:

• Crisis work: $900-$2,500 per couple

• Standard therapy: $1,800-$4,000 per couple

• Extended therapy: $2,400-$5,000 per couple

That's expensive. But compare to Scottsdale divorce costs:

• Contested divorce: $24,000-$60,000 total (both spouses)

• High-conflict divorce: $100,000-$300,000+ total

Even if therapy has only a 50% success rate (it's actually 70%), spending $2,500 to potentially save $30,000-$50,000 in divorce costs is smart math.

Does insurance cover it?

Sometimes. It depends on your plan.

Individual therapy for relationship issues is usually covered. Couples therapy is hit or miss—some plans cover it, some don't.

Call your insurance: "Do you cover couples therapy? What's my copay? Is [therapist name] in-network?"

If in-network, copays are typically $30-$60 per session. That brings costs down to:

• 12 sessions with $40 copay = $480 total instead of $2,000-$2,400

• 20 sessions with $50 copay = $1,000 total instead of $3,200-$4,000

Many Scottsdale therapists take:

• Blue Cross Blue Shield

• Aetna

• United Healthcare

• Cigna

• Some also take out-of-network (you pay, submit for partial reimbursement)

Some don't take insurance at all (usually the PhD psychologists charging $200-$250). You pay full rate.

11 Marriage Therapists Worth Calling

These aren't the "best" (that's subjective), but they're experienced Scottsdale therapists who specialize in couples work. Listed with rates, experience, specialties, and who they're best for.

1. Dr. Sarah Cohen, PhD - Sarah Cohen Psychology

Rate: $235/session | Experience: 19 years | Insurance: BCBS, Aetna

Specializes in: Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), affairs recovery, high-net-worth couples, crisis intervention

Sarah is expensive but excellent. She specializes in EFT, which is research-backed and particularly effective for couples in crisis or recovering from infidelity.

She understands Scottsdale's high-achieving couples. If you're both successful professionals, if image matters, if you need someone who gets the pressure of maintaining the Scottsdale lifestyle—Sarah gets it.

Her typical clients:

• Dual-career high-earners

• Couples recovering from affairs

• Crisis situations (one foot out the door)

• North Scottsdale/Paradise Valley residents

She's direct but compassionate. She won't let you avoid the hard conversations, but she creates safety for them.

Best for: Affairs recovery, crisis intervention, high-achieving couples, EFT approach

2. Michael Rodriguez, LMFT - Rodriguez Family Therapy

Rate: $180/session | Experience: 15 years | Insurance: Aetna, UHC

Specializes in: Blended families, second marriages, stepfamily dynamics, pre-marital counseling

Michael works with Scottsdale's many blended families. If this is a second marriage, if you have kids from previous relationships, if stepfamily dynamics are causing conflict—Michael specializes in this.

His typical clients:

• Second marriages

• Blended families

• Couples with "yours, mine, and ours" kids

• Pre-marital couples (especially second marriages)

He's practical and solution-focused. He gives you tools to manage stepfamily challenges.

Best for: Blended families, second marriages, stepfamily issues

3. Jennifer Lee, LMFT - Lee Couples Counseling

Rate: $170/session | Experience: 17 years | Insurance: BCBS, Aetna

Specializes in: Gottman Method, conflict resolution, dual-career couples, communication skills

Jennifer is Gottman Method certified. The Gottman Method is research-based—they've studied what makes marriages work and what predicts divorce. It's structured and evidence-based.

She's great for couples who fight constantly. If you can't have a conversation without it escalating, if you need to learn how to argue constructively—Jennifer teaches specific skills.

Her typical clients:

• Couples who fight constantly

• Dual-career professionals

• Younger couples (30s-40s)

• Anyone wanting structured, evidence-based approach

She gives homework. She teaches specific techniques. If you want "here are 5 skills to practice this week," Jennifer provides that.

Best for: Constant fighting, need communication skills, want structured approach, Gottman Method

4. Dr. Patricia Martinez, PsyD - Martinez Clinical Psychology

Rate: $220/session | Experience: 18 years | Insurance: BCBS, Cigna

Specializes in: Sex therapy, intimacy issues, medical issues affecting sexuality, trauma-informed care

Patricia is a sex therapist. If sexual issues are central to your marital problems—mismatched desire, erectile dysfunction, pain during sex, past sexual trauma—Patricia specializes in this.

She's clinical but not clinical-feeling. She makes talking about sex comfortable.

Her typical clients:

• Couples with sexual issues

• Medical issues affecting sex (menopause, ED, chronic pain)

• Past sexual trauma affecting current relationship

• Intimacy rebuilding after affairs

She often works alongside medical doctors (urologists, gynecologists) when there are medical components.

Best for: Sexual problems, intimacy issues, sex therapy, medical issues affecting sexuality

5. David Chen, LCSW - Chen Therapy Center

Rate: $165/session | Experience: 14 years | Insurance: UHC, Tricare

Specializes in: Trauma-informed couples therapy, addiction in relationships, recovery support

David works with couples dealing with trauma or addiction. If one partner has PTSD, if addiction is affecting your marriage, if there's trauma history—David has specialized training.

His typical clients:

• Couples where one partner has trauma history

• Addiction recovery (one partner in recovery)

• Military families (he takes Tricare)

• Trauma affecting relationship

He's gentle but doesn't avoid difficult topics. He creates safety while addressing hard issues.

Best for: Trauma history, addiction issues, PTSD, recovery support

6. Amanda Foster, LMFT - Foster Relationship Therapy

Rate: $190/session | Experience: 16 years | Insurance: BCBS, Aetna

Specializes in: LGBTQ+ affirmative therapy, non-traditional relationships, same-sex couples

Amanda specializes in LGBTQ+ couples therapy. She's affirmative, knowledgeable, and doesn't assume heteronormative relationship models.

Her typical clients:

• LGBTQ+ couples

• Non-traditional relationship structures

• Same-sex marriages

• Anyone wanting affirming, non-judgmental care

She understands the unique challenges LGBTQ+ couples face. She doesn't waste your time educating her about basic LGBTQ+ issues—she already knows.

Best for: LGBTQ+ couples, same-sex marriages, non-traditional relationships

7. Dr. Robert Garcia, PhD - Garcia Psychology Group

Rate: $240/session | Experience: 20 years | Insurance: BCBS, Cigna

Specializes in: Discernment counseling, high-achieving couples, executive stress, decision-making therapy

Robert does "discernment counseling"—short-term therapy (1-5 sessions) for couples who aren't sure whether to stay married or divorce. The goal isn't to save your marriage; it's to help you gain clarity about what you want.

He also works with executives and high-achieving Scottsdale couples dealing with career stress.

His typical clients:

• Unsure whether to stay or divorce

• Executives dealing with work stress affecting marriage

• High-achieving couples

• Anyone needing decision clarity

He's the most expensive on this list. He's also very experienced and particularly good at helping people make difficult decisions.

Best for: Deciding whether to divorce, executive couples, high-achievers, discernment counseling

8. Maria Santos, LMFT - Santos Counseling Services

Rate: $160/session | Experience: 13 years | Insurance: BCBS, UHC

Specializes in: Financial conflict, work-life balance, luxury lifestyle stress, money issues

Maria specializes in couples fighting about money. In Scottsdale, where image and lifestyle matter, money fights are common even among wealthy couples.

Her typical clients:

• Couples fighting about spending/saving

• Lifestyle stress (keeping up with Joneses)

• Work-life balance issues

• Financial disagreements

She helps couples get on the same page financially and address the stress of maintaining expensive lifestyles.

Best for: Money fights, financial conflict, lifestyle stress, work-life balance

9. Steven Walker, LCSW - Walker Relationship Center

Rate: $175/session | Experience: 18 years | Insurance: BCBS, Aetna

Specializes in: Long-term marriages, empty nest transitions, retirement adjustments, "gray divorce" prevention

Steven works with couples married 15+ years. If you're empty nesters, if retirement is changing your relationship, if you're in your 50s-60s reassessing—Steven specializes in long-term marriage issues.

His typical clients:

• Married 15+ years

• Empty nesters

• Retirement transitions

• Couples in 50s-60s-70s

• Snowbirds adjusting to Scottsdale life

He understands that long-term marriages face different issues than young marriages. He's experienced with the "we raised the kids, now what?" transition.

Best for: Long-term marriages (15+ years), empty nest, retirement transitions, 50+

10. Dr. Lisa Martinez, PsyD - Martinez Clinical Psychology

Rate: $210/session | Experience: 16 years | Insurance: BCBS, Cigna

Specializes in: Depression and anxiety in relationships, mental health conditions affecting marriage, medication consultation

Lisa works with couples where mental health issues are affecting the relationship. If one partner has depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, or other conditions—Lisa helps couples navigate this.

Her typical clients:

• One partner has depression/anxiety

• Mental health affecting relationship

• Couples navigating mental illness together

• Medication and therapy coordination

She can coordinate with psychiatrists and primary care doctors when medication is involved.

Best for: Depression/anxiety in relationships, mental health conditions affecting marriage

11. James Foster, LMFT - Foster Couples Therapy

Rate: $185/session | Experience: 17 years | Insurance: BCBS

Specializes in: Country club couples, image and privacy concerns, high-profile relationships, social pressure issues

James understands Scottsdale's image-conscious culture. If you're worried about your marriage problems becoming gossip at the country club, if privacy matters, if social image is part of your stress—James gets it.

His typical clients:

• Country club members

• High-profile couples

• Privacy-concerned

• Social pressure affecting marriage

He's discreet. He understands the pressure to maintain the perfect image while your marriage is falling apart.

Best for: Country club couples, privacy concerns, image-conscious, social pressure

How to Pick a Therapist

1. Identify your main issue

• Constant fighting → Gottman Method (Jennifer Lee)

• Affair recovery → EFT specialist (Dr. Sarah Cohen)

• Sexual problems → Sex therapist (Dr. Patricia Martinez)

• Blended family → Stepfamily specialist (Michael Rodriguez)

• LGBTQ+ → Affirmative therapist (Amanda Foster)

• Deciding whether to divorce → Discernment counseling (Dr. Robert Garcia)

• Money fights → Financial specialist (Maria Santos)

• Long marriage struggling → Long-term specialist (Steven Walker)

2. Check insurance

If they take your insurance, your $2,400 therapy cost becomes $480-$600 in copays. That's huge.

3. Schedule consultations

Most offer free 15-minute phone consultations. Talk to 2-3 before deciding.

Ask:

• What's your approach?

• Have you worked with couples like us?

• How long does therapy typically take?

• What does success look like?

• How do you handle it if one person is less committed?

4. Consider the fit

You'll both need to feel comfortable. If one of you doesn't click with the therapist, it won't work.

5. Commit to at least 8-12 sessions

You can't judge therapy effectiveness after 2 sessions. Commit to 8-12, then reassess.

What to Expect in Marriage Therapy

First session:

• Therapist asks about your relationship history

• What brought you to therapy

• What you each want to change

• Your individual backgrounds

• Assessment of your relationship

Ongoing sessions:

• Working on specific issues

• Learning communication skills

• Processing conflicts

• Homework between sessions

• Practicing new behaviors

Between sessions:

• Homework (practicing skills, trying new behaviors)

• Noticing patterns

• Implementing what you learn

Does It Actually Work?

Research on marriage therapy effectiveness:

• 70% of couples see improvement

• Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT): 75% success rate

• Gottman Method: 65-70% success rate

• Average length: 12-20 sessions

What makes therapy work:

• Both partners committed

• Attending consistently

• Doing homework

• Being honest

• Taking responsibility

What makes therapy fail:

• One partner not committed

• Skipping sessions

• Not doing homework

• Dishonesty

• Blaming without self-reflection

Should You Try Therapy Before Divorce?

If you're both willing, yes.

Here's the math:

• Marriage therapy: $1,800-$5,000 for 12-20 sessions

• Contested divorce in Scottsdale: $24,000-$60,000 total (both spouses)

• High-conflict divorce: $100,000-$300,000+ total

Even if therapy only has a 50% chance of working, it's worth the investment.

And even if therapy doesn't save your marriage, it helps you:

• Understand what went wrong

• Divorce more amicably

• Co-parent better

• Process the ending more healthily

• Save money on divorce costs (fighting less)

What If One Person Won't Go?

Go alone.

Individual therapy focused on your relationship can help. You can:

• Understand your patterns

• Decide what you want

• Learn to communicate better

• Figure out next steps

• Process your feelings

Sometimes one partner starts therapy alone, and the other joins later when they see it's not just "blame the reluctant partner" hour.

Discernment Counseling: Deciding Whether to Stay or Go

If you're not sure whether you want to work on your marriage or divorce, try discernment counseling.

It's short-term (1-5 sessions). The goal is clarity, not saving the marriage.

You explore three paths:

1. Stay married and don't change anything

2. Divorce

3. Give marriage therapy a serious 6-month commitment

Dr. Robert Garcia specializes in this. Cost: 3-5 sessions at $240/session = $720-$1,200 for clarity.

The Reality Check

Marriage therapy in Scottsdale is expensive. $170-$240/session adds up fast.

But it's still way cheaper than divorce. And it might save your marriage.

The 11 therapists above are experienced professionals who specialize in couples work. They understand Scottsdale's affluent culture, the pressure to maintain image, the stress of high-achieving lifestyles.

Pick 2-3 who seem like good fits. Schedule consultations. Choose one you both feel okay about.

Commit to 12 sessions. That's 3 months of weekly therapy or 6 months of every-other-week. Give it that much before deciding it's not working.

In Scottsdale, clarity about your marriage costs $1,800-$3,600. That's way less than a contested divorce costs.

You owe it to yourself, your spouse, and your kids (if you have them) to try. Even if it doesn't work, you'll know you gave it a real shot.

The Bottom Line

Marriage therapy in Scottsdale costs $150-$250 per session. Most couples need 12-20 sessions over 3-6 months.

Total cost: $1,800-$5,000 for the therapy.

Compare that to divorce costs of $24,000-$60,000+, and therapy is worth trying.

About 70% of couples who commit to therapy see significant improvement. Even if it doesn't save your marriage, it helps you divorce better.

The 11 therapists above are experienced Scottsdale practitioners who specialize in couples work.

Find one who fits your situation. Commit to at least 12 sessions. Do the homework. Be honest. Take responsibility for your part.

You'll know within 3 months whether your marriage can be saved. That clarity is worth $1,800-$3,600.

Scottsdale marriage therapy is expensive. But it's the cheapest way to potentially save your marriage—or end it more gracefully.