Time Wellness in Chattanooga: Individual and Group Therapy for Adults and Teens
Time Wellness is a private practice offering individual and group counseling for adults and adolescents, with a focus on anxiety, depression, and life transitions. The practice operates from a single location and accepts most major insurance plans alongside self-pay rates; intake typically occurs within two weeks of initial contact.
What Time Wellness actually is
Time Wellness functions as an independent outpatient counseling practice rather than a clinic attached to a hospital or larger health system. The practice employs licensed therapists and licensed professional counselors who work with clients age 13 and up. Sessions are conducted in private rooms and are confidential, with the exception of mandated reporting situations (risk of harm, abuse, or neglect). The practice does not prescribe medication; if psychiatric evaluation or medication management becomes necessary, therapists provide referrals to local psychiatrists or psychiatric nurse practitioners.
Counseling services and fees
Time Wellness offers individual therapy, group therapy, and couples counseling. Individual sessions run 50 minutes and cost $120 to $160 per session on a self-pay basis, depending on the therapist's experience level and license type. Clients with insurance should expect copays ranging from $20 to $50 per session, with the practice handling billing directly; Time Wellness participates in most major East Tennessee networks, including BlueCross BlueShield, Cigna, and Anthem. Group therapy (for anxiety, depression, or life transitions) typically meets weekly and costs $40 to $60 per session for self-pay participants. Couples sessions are priced the same as individual sessions but are longer (75 minutes). Payment is due at the time of service unless an insurance deductible is being applied; the practice accepts cash, card, and checks.
How Time Wellness compares to other Chattanooga counseling options
Chattanooga has several tiers of mental health providers. Community Mental Health Center, operated by the city's health department, offers sliding-scale fees starting at $15 to $20 per session for low-income residents and serves as the primary safety-net provider; wait times for first appointments often exceed four weeks, and prescribers are available on-site. Benchmarks Counseling, another independent practice, charges $90 to $140 per self-pay session and focuses on adult trauma and mood disorders; it operates in the North Shore area and does not accept insurance, making it cash-only. The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Department of Psychology operates a graduate clinic where master's-level trainees provide therapy under supervision at $20 to $40 per session; sessions are sometimes recorded for training purposes and appointments fill six to eight weeks out. Time Wellness occupies a middle position: faster intake than the city's safety-net option, insurance accepted (unlike Benchmarks), and more economical than private psychiatric groups in the Downtown Medical District. Choose Time Wellness if you have insurance coverage and prefer an established independent practice; choose Community Mental Health Center if cost is the primary concern and you qualify for sliding-scale rates; choose the UTC clinic if you are willing to work with a trainee and cost is minimal.
Who Time Wellness suits and does not suit
Time Wellness is structured for working adults and adolescents who can attend appointments during standard business hours and prefer an independent setting. It suits people with active insurance coverage, people managing anxiety or depression who do not require immediate psychiatric medication, and people seeking longer-term outpatient work. It does not suit people in crisis requiring immediate psychiatric hospitalization (those should call 911 or present to Erlanger's ER); people who need medication management without therapy (psychiatrists should be contacted directly); people whose insurance the practice does not in-network with (self-pay becomes the only option); and people who require evening or weekend appointments, which the practice does not currently offer.
What the first visit involves
New clients begin with a 15-minute phone intake with a staff member who gathers insurance information, insurance authorization, presenting concerns, and availability. Within two weeks a therapist calls to schedule the first appointment. The first session (50 minutes) is dedicated to gathering history: childhood, current stressors, relationship patterns, medical and psychiatric history, and substance use. The therapist does not provide formal diagnosis on the first visit but gives a preliminary assessment and outlines a treatment plan. A signed consent-to-treat and privacy notice form are required before starting; this is often completed online in advance. If a therapist determines that medication evaluation is necessary or that the client's needs fall outside their scope, a referral is provided.
Hours, location, and logistics
Time Wellness operates Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The office is located on Chattanooga's Northshore and includes street parking and a small dedicated lot; clients should allow 10 minutes for parking and arrival. Telehealth sessions are available; verify current availability by calling the office, as telehealth capacity changes seasonally. Cancellations must be made 24 hours in advance to avoid a $35 no-show fee.
Time Wellness fills a practical gap for Chattanooga residents with insurance and flexible daytime schedules who need therapy without psychiatric hospitalization or the long waits of public clinics.
