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Therapy for New York City employees

Teachers, DC 37 members, CUNY faculty and staff, hospital workers: your NYC Employee PPO covers online therapy with us for a copay.

Since January 1, 2026, most active city employees are on the NYC Employee PPO, and its mental health benefit runs through Optum. We are in-network with Optum, so therapy costs your copay, from wherever you are at the end of a shift.

Working for the city brings its own pressures: large classes, understaffed units, rules that change midyear, and a public that forgets you are a person. Many of our clients are also children of immigrants, first in their family to hold a professional job, or the one everyone at work and at home leans on. We keep all of that in the room.

Sessions are secure video, so you do not need to cross the city after a long day. We offer late-afternoon and evening times when available, and summer intensives for teachers who finally have the hours.

Who this page is for:

  • Teachers, paraprofessionals, and school staff (UFT)
  • DC 37 members across city agencies
  • CUNY faculty and staff
  • NYC Health + Hospitals and public health workers
  • Uniformed and civilian staff at city agencies
  • Pre-Medicare city retirees on the NYCE PPO

What tends to bring city employees in

  • Burnout that doesn't lift over a weekend
  • Anxiety about the next observation, audit, or shift
  • Secondary trauma from students, patients, or the public
  • Family expectations layered on a demanding job
  • Feeling like the last person anyone checks on

You spend the day holding things for other people. Therapy can be a place to set them down.

How it works.

What the NYCE PPO covers

Outpatient therapy with an in-network provider for your plan's copay. The plan's mental health benefit is administered by Optum, and we are in-network with Optum in New York. No referral is required for in-network therapy, and we confirm your benefits before the first session.

How to book

Open Tina's Headway profile, pick a time, and enter your insurance details. Headway checks your coverage and shows an estimate of what you will pay per session before you confirm. Booking takes about five minutes.

On HIP HMO instead?

HIP HMO members were not moved to the NYCE PPO, and HIP is not a plan we accept. If you are on HIP, feel free to text us a photo of your card, and we will go over your options, including the sliding scale.

If your plan turns out to be out of network

The full rate is $200 per 50-minute session, and we provide a superbill you can submit to your insurer for possible reimbursement. If cost is the barrier, ask about our sliding scale.

Questions before you start?

Which plan am I on?

If you were on GHI CBP, you were moved to the NYC Employee PPO on January 1, 2026. Your new card says NYCE PPO. If your card says HIP, you are on a different plan that we do not accept.

Do I need a referral to see a therapist on the NYCE PPO?

No. In-network outpatient therapy on the NYCE PPO does not require a referral. We confirm your benefits before the first session so you know your copay.

Can I do sessions after school or after my shift?

Yes. Sessions are secure video, and we offer late-afternoon and evening times when available. Feel free to tell us your schedule when you reach out, and we will find a time that fits.

Check My Coverage & Book on Headway

Prefer we check for you? Text (917) 809-8067 a photo of your insurance card and we'll confirm your benefits before the first session. How the coverage check works.

Related: All Optum plans · Therapy for Therapists & Helpers · Anxiety · Children of Immigrants · EMDR · Fees & Insurance

Who you'll work with.

Tina Liu, LMHC-D
Tina Liu, LMHC-D

Founder & Mental Health Counselor. EMDR-trained, culturally attuned, licensed in New York & Florida. Optum plans (UnitedHealthcare, Oxford, Oscar, NYCE PPO) are seen by Tina.

About Tina →

Not sure where to start? Feel free to send us a note, and we will help you find a good fit.

Reach out whenever you're ready.

Text (917) 809-8067 to schedule your appointment, send a message below, or email us directly.

Thanks for reaching out.

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