Therapy in Olympia: Finding the Right Counselor for What You're Going Through

Ashley Keays • June 26, 2026

Quick Answer: Finding the right therapist in Olympia comes down to matching three things: the kind of help you need (individual, couples, or family work), a therapist whose style and experience fit your situation, and the practical details - location, availability, cost, and whether they take your insurance. This guide walks through how to weigh each of those so you book with someone who's actually a good fit, not just the first name that comes up.


Choosing a counselor can feel like one more hard decision at a time when you're already low on energy. The good news is that "the right therapist" isn't a single perfect person you have to hunt down. It's about a reasonable fit on a few specific things, and most of those you can sort out in a phone call or a first session. Here's how to narrow it down.



Start with what you're actually looking for


Before you compare therapists, get clear on the problem you want help with. "I've been anxious and can't sleep" points somewhere different than "my partner and I keep having the same fight." That clarity makes every later step easier.

A few useful distinctions:



You don't need a diagnosis or a perfect description to start. But knowing roughly which category you're in helps you filter quickly, since not every therapist does all three.



Types of therapy - and why fit usually matters more


You'll see a lot of acronyms when you search: CBT, DBT, EFT, solution-focused, and more. They're real, and they matter, but for most people, the therapist matters more than the method.


A quick orientation:


  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on the link between thoughts, feelings, and behavior, and on changing unhelpful patterns. It's practical and often shorter-term.
  • Solution-focused work zeroes in on the specific change you want and the steps to get there, rather than spending months on backstory.
  • Couples and family approaches look at the patterns between people - how a conversation goes sideways, who shuts down, what each person actually needs.


At Creative Wellness, our therapists draw on evidence-based approaches like these and tailor them to your goals rather than forcing you into one method. If you're curious how a session is actually structured, our counseling and therapy page covers what to expect.




Questions worth asking before you book


A short phone consultation tells you a lot. Most reputable practices offer one. Things worth asking:


  • Do you have experience with what I'm dealing with? Depression, trauma, and relationship conflict each call for different experience.
  • Do you work with individuals, couples, or both? Make sure they cover your situation.
  • What does a typical session look like with you? You're listening for an approach that sounds like something you could actually do.
  • In person, virtual, or both? Decide what's realistic for your schedule.
  • What's the cost, and do you take my insurance or offer self-pay? Get the real number before you commit.


If a therapist can't or won't answer these clearly, that's useful information too.


Contact us here

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Take a quick 1-minute quiz  to check if you meet typical insurance criteria for TMS. It’s an easy way to see if you may qualify - no pressure, no commitment. If you're exploring other treatments or just want to talk it through, Get in touch. We're here to help you understand your benefits and next steps.

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Individual vs. couples therapy: what's different


These aren't just the same thing with more people in the room. In individual therapy, the work is yours - your patterns, your history, your goals - and the therapist is in your corner. In couples therapy, the relationship is the client. A good couples therapist stays even-handed, doesn't take sides, and helps both people get heard instead of refereeing the same argument.


Our couples work in Olympia is led by Dr. David Simonsen, a licensed marriage and family therapist with more than 25 years of experience working with individuals, couples, and families. His style is practical and direct, focused on real things: communication, conflict, trust, and shared goals. Couples sessions are $180 for 60 minutes, available in person or by secure video. You can see the full therapy team on our Meet the Team page.



In-person vs. virtual therapy in Olympia


Both work, and the research broadly supports virtual therapy as effective for many people. The right choice is mostly practical.


In-person can feel easier for building rapport early on, and it's a clean break from home and screens. Our Olympia office is at 1800 Cooper Point Rd SW, open Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM.


Virtual removes the commute and parking, fits around work, and widens who you can see. For couples especially, it can be easier to get two busy schedules into the same session by video.


If you're not sure, many people start in person and shift to virtual once they've settled in, or mix the two.



How therapy fits with the rest of your care


Sometimes talk therapy is all someone needs. Other times it works best alongside medication, or as part of a treatment plan that includes other options. This is where it helps to know what a practice offers beyond counseling.


A lot of clinics in Washington do one thing. Creative Wellness offers counseling, psychiatric medication management, TMS therapy, Spravato (esketamine), and genetic testing across our Olympia, University Place, and Yelm locations. In practice, that means if therapy alone isn't moving the needle, the next step doesn't require starting over with a new clinic and new paperwork — your team can adjust the plan with your history already in hand. And if you already have a psychiatrist or prescriber you trust, we coordinate with them rather than replacing them.


You don't have to want all of that to come in for therapy. Plenty of patients come for counseling and nothing else. The point is that the option is there if your needs change.



What therapy costs in Olympia


Cost is one of the biggest reasons people put off starting, so it's worth getting clear early. At Creative Wellness, counseling sessions are $180 for 60 minutes. Many insurance plans cover therapy when there's a medical diagnosis, and our team can help you check your benefits before you commit. For patients paying out of pocket, we offer self-pay options and flexible financing so cost is less likely to be the thing that stops you.


When you compare providers, ask each one for the actual per-session rate and what your insurance is likely to cover. Two therapists can list very different prices for the same hour.

  • How do I know if I need a therapist or a psychiatrist?

    Roughly: a therapist helps you work through thoughts, emotions, relationships, and behavior through talk; a psychiatrist or prescriber manages medication. Many people see both. If you're not sure where to start, a practice that offers both can point you in the right direction after one conversation.

  • What if my first therapist isn't the right fit?

    It happens, and it's not a failure. Fit matters more in therapy than in almost any other kind of care. If something feels off after a few sessions, it's completely reasonable to ask for a different therapist or approach.

  • How long does therapy take?

    It depends on what you're working on. Solution-focused work can be relatively short; deeper or longer-standing issues take more time. A good therapist will talk openly with you about goals and roughly how long they expect things to take.

  • Can my partner and I do couples therapy by video?

    Yes. Couples sessions at Creative Wellness are available in person or by secure video, which often makes it easier to get two schedules into the same hour.

  • Do I need a referral to start?

    No. You can reach out directly to book a consultation and go from there.

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By Ashley Keays • June 4, 2026
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