If you and your partner have been thinking about couples therapy, you've probably already run into the same wall most people hit: your health insurance doesn't cover it.

Unlike individual therapy, couples therapy is excluded from almost every employer health plan and individual insurance policy. There's no in-network provider to search for, no claim to submit, and no reimbursement waiting on the other side. If you want help, the assumption is that you'll pay full private-pay rates — often $200 to $300 per session or more — out of pocket, indefinitely.

For most couples, that's not realistic. So they wait. Or they don't go at all.

We think that's worth changing.

Relationship Stress Is a Health Issue

Your relationship doesn't stay in a separate compartment from the rest of your life. Research consistently links chronic relationship stress to poor sleep, weakened immune function, elevated blood pressure, and worse outcomes for conditions like depression, anxiety, and heart disease. When things are hard at home, it shows up in your body.

Your doctor knows this too — even if they've never had a good place to refer you.
That's where Oak Creek comes in.

Affordable Couples Therapy in the East Bay

Oak Creek Relational Counseling Center is a nonprofit counseling center in Pleasant Hill, California, specializing in couples and relational therapy. Because we're a nonprofit training institution, we're able to offer quality relational care at significantly more affordable rates than the private-pay market.

There's no insurance required. No claim submissions. No denials. Just direct access to therapists trained specifically in couples and relational work, supervised by licensed professionals, using evidence-based approaches.

We see individuals, couples, and families throughout the East Bay, with in-person sessions in Pleasant Hill and telehealth options for those who need more flexibility.

Ask Your Doctor to Refer You

Here's something many people don't realize: you can ask your primary care physician, OB-GYN, therapist, or any other provider to connect you with a couples therapy resource. And when they do, it carries weight — both in how you show up for care and in how practices think about their referral networks.

Oak Creek partners with medical practices throughout the East Bay so that providers have a trusted, affordable place to send patients when relationship concerns are part of the picture. If your doctor doesn't know about us yet, that's an easy conversation to start.

You can simply say: "I've been looking into couples therapy at Oak Creek in Pleasant Hill — they're a nonprofit and offer more affordable rates. Can you refer me?"

That's it. No complicated process. We handle everything from there — intake, scheduling, and care.
You Don't Have to Wait Until Things Are BadOne of the most common things we hear from couples is that they wish they'd come in sooner. The couples who benefit most from relational therapy aren't always in crisis — they're people who want to communicate better, reconnect, or work through something before it becomes something bigger.

If you've been putting off getting help because of cost, or because you weren't sure where to go, Oak Creek exists for exactly that reason.

Take the First Step

Visit our Couples Therapy page to learn more about what we offer and how to get started. Or bring us up with your doctor at your next visit.

Affordable, quality couples therapy exists in the East Bay. You just have to know where to look.

If you are experiencing an emergency or are in crisis: please call 988, 911 or call Crisis Support Support Services at 1-800-309-2131.

To speak to one of our therapists about our counseling services and to schedule an appointment, please choose one of the following options. A therapist will contact you within two business days.
​

• Call our Intake Line at 1-408-320-5740​
• Contact a therapist directly through our Meet Our Therapists page.
• Email us at i[email protected]

Business inquiries: call 408-320-5740 or email i[email protected]
​
Associate and traineeship inquiries, please visit the Working with OCRCC page.

Oak Creek Relational Counseling Center (OCRCC) in Pleasant Hill, CA is thrilled to congratulate Stacey, Maddy, Tasal, and David, who in 2025 moved from being trainees to being full Associates in our clinical training program. This is more than a title—it represents hours of learning, growing, reflection, and real client work. Well done!

Why Oak Creek is a Top Therapy Practicum Site in Pleasant Hill / Contra Costa County

If you’re a graduate student, especially in Marriage & Family Therapy, Counseling, or Social Work, looking for a practicum site, there are few places that combine all the essential ingredients like OCRCC:

• Strong, consistent supervision
• Real client experience (individuals, couples, families)
• A relational, community-focused approach
• Experienced leadership and teaching​

​At OCRCC, the community receives affordable counseling while trainees grow into confident, relational therapists.

Meet Stephen Polin: Supervision Director & Mentor

​A big part of what makes Oak Creek such a strong practicum site is Stephen (“Steve”) Polin.

Some highlights:

• He is the Supervising Clinical Director at Oak Creek.
• Has over 30 years of experience as a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist.
• Before OCRCC, he worked in crisis settings: he was supervisor at the Marin County Crisis Unit, providing psychiatric evaluations for the Marin County Jail, and was also a clinical supervisor at Options Recovery Services.
• He has taught at graduate level: adjunct faculty at John F. Kennedy University (courses in MFT practice, psychopathology, clinical interviewing, etc.).

These credentials make him someone who not only has deep clinical and supervisory experience, but also understands both the academic side (theories, ethics) and the real-world side (clients, crises, relational work).

What Supervision Looks Like: More than Once a Week

A standout feature at Oak Creek is how frequent and engaged supervision is. Trainees and Associates are offered supervision from Stephen Polin at four different times a week. This high level of supervision ensures:

• Regular feedback on client sessions
• Opportunities for case consultation and exploring clinical challenges in close detail
• Chances to reflect on personal style, relational presence, interventions, ethics, relational dynamics

This intensity helps make the jump from trainee to Associate more solid, more confident. You’re never “left hanging” or operating in isolation.

The Trainee Journey: What It’s Really LikeBecoming a trainee at OCRCC means:
​

1. Learning by doing. Trainees work with clients under supervision, gradually increasing responsibility.
2. Ongoing skill development. With Stephen Polin’s supervision flexibility times/week, you get constant input—what’s working, what could be refined, how to relate more deeply.
3. Integration of theory & practice. Whether it’s family systems theory, attachment, trauma, relational practice—you get to test out what you learn in class and get real feedback.
4. Peer support & collegiality. You’re in cohort with other trainees and Associates; you share challenges, successes, and learn from each other.
5. Focus on relational, ethical, culturally responsive practice. Oak Creek emphasizes relational counseling, relational presence, ethical work, and serving diverse communities in East Bay & Contra Costa County.

What Rising Graduates Should Know: Tips for Getting a Practicum Site Like OCRCC

If you're in a graduate program and seeking a practicum, these tips helped Stacey, Maddy, Tasal, David—and might help you:
​

• Look for programs with frequent supervision. Weekly is minimal; four times a week is exceptional.
• Check the supervisor’s credentials. Someone like Stephen Polin—licensed, experienced in both practice & crisis, and a teacher—can make a big difference.
• Prioritize relational fit. Working well with your supervisor and peers, being able to get honest feedback, feeling seen relationally, matter a lot.
• Be ready for real client work. Practicum is not just observation—it’s doing the work under guidance. Be brave.
• Reflect often. Use supervision time well. Bring cases, bring questions, bring self-awareness.

Final Words & Congratulations

Stacey, Maddy, Tasal, and David—you embody what OCRCC aims for: compassionate, skilled, relational therapists, grounded in supervision, growing through practice. Congratulations on becoming Associates in 2025! You’re an inspiration for trainees across Pleasant Hill, all of Contra Costa County, and the East Bay.

And to all of you graduate students out there: a practicum site like Oak Creek, under supervision of someone like Stephen Polin, can be transformative. If you aspire to become your best clinical self, to serve with integrity and relational presence, OCRCC is one of the places to seriously consider.