Agave Studio

What Agave Studio does

Agave Studio is a private group psychotherapy practice founded in 2005 by Janeil Ruiz, PsyD and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The practice operates three physical offices across the Chicago metropolitan area (Humboldt Park, Downtown Chicago, and Naperville) and delivers a coordinated portfolio of mental health services including individual therapy, couples therapy, kids and teens therapy, group therapy, psychological and neuropsychological testing, and bodywork/somatic healing. Service delivery is provided by a team of 30+ licensed clinicians credentialed across PsyDs, PhDs, LCSWs, LCPCs, and LPCs, supplemented by therapist interns and externs, using established modalities (psychodynamic, CBT, EMDR, IFS, EFT, somatic experiencing). An affiliated nonprofit, the Agave Center for Justice in Mental Health, extends the practice's mission into equity-oriented access and financial assistance for underserved populations.

The business model is direct-to-consumer with insurance intermediation: clients browse therapist profiles on agavechicago.com, contact a chosen therapist directly to schedule, and pay for services either out-of-pocket (hourly rates of $150-$210 depending on licensure) or via in-network insurance contracts with Aetna, BCBS, Cigna, and United Healthcare, with out-of-network claim submission as a fallback. Group therapy is priced at approximately $80/session, with some groups accepting BCBS PPO. The practice does not employ proprietary technology; it relies on standard therapeutic methods and a third-party client portal (TherapyPortal). Distribution is primarily through the company website, insurance provider directories, and the three physical offices, with selected telehealth availability including PsyPact-eligible group programming.

Revenue is not publicly disclosed; no funding rounds, institutional investors, or parent-company ownership have been identified, and Medicaid is not accepted. The ownership structure appears to be founder-led with no external acquisition history, positioning Agave Studio as a stable, founder-owned clinical services business rather than a venture-backed or PE-backed platform.

Name

Agave Studio

Legal name

Agave Studio

Website

https://agavechicago.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Agave Studio is a founder-owned group psychotherapy practice founded in 2005 in Chicago, operating three metropolitan offices with 30+ licensed therapists delivering individual, couples, kids/teens, group, testing, and somatic services on a direct-to-consumer basis with major commercial insurance coverage.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mental Health Services

NAICS

Offices of Mental Health Practitioners (except Physicians) (621330)

akta.pro primary industry

Neurodevelopmental & Behavioral Therapy Platforms (ADHD/Autism/Behavioral Coaching) (HLALAEAJ)

Keywords

• Psychotherapy services
• Mental health counseling
• Psychological testing
• Couples therapy
• Group therapy

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Individual Therapy Services: Hourly therapy sessions billed at $150-$210 depending on therapist licensure level. Accepts in-network insurance plans and can submit out-of-network claims for reimbursement.
2. Psychological Testing Services: Comprehensive neuropsychological and psychological testing services with rates varying based on time and materials required. Testing covers ADHD, ASD, learning disabilities, cognitive functioning, and other diagnostic assessments.
3. Group Therapy Sessions: Therapeutic groups including purity culture recovery, intuitive eating/embodiment, and wellness groups. Some groups accept insurance (BCBS PPO) or out-of-pocket payment at approximately $80/session.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Agave Studio is a group psychotherapy practice in Chicago that delivers individual therapy, couples therapy, kids/teens therapy, group therapy, psychological and neuropsychological testing, and somatic healing services. Services are provided by a diverse team of 30+ licensed therapists (PsyDs, PhDs, LCSWs, LCPCs, LPCs) using evidence-based modalities including psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, EMDR, IFS, somatic experiencing, and EFT approaches. The practice operates three physical office locations in the Chicago metropolitan area and offers telehealth for eligible clients.

Product overview

Agave Studio is a group psychotherapy practice offering a coordinated portfolio of mental health services delivered by a diverse team of licensed therapists. The core offerings include Individual Therapy, Couples Therapy, Groups, Kids & Teens Therapy, Psychological Testing, and BodyWork & Somatic Healing—all provided through their network of therapists in Chicago. The practice operates three physical office locations (Humboldt Park, Downtown, and Naperville) and offers virtual services. An affiliated nonprofit, the Agave Center for Justice in Mental Health, extends the practice's mission by providing financial assistance and supporting access to mental health care for underserved populations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Individual Therapy One-on-one psychotherapy sessions where clients work with a licensed therapist to explore self-understanding, self-acceptance, and personal growth in a safe, supportive environment. Targeted at adults seeking help with mood disorders, anxiety, depression, trauma, life transitions, grief, and identity exploration.
• Couples Therapy Joint therapy sessions involving both romantic partners and a licensed therapist to address relationship issues, improve communication, and foster deeper healing and connection. Targeted at romantic partners seeking to improve their relationship, address ruptures, and achieve deeper connection.
• Group Therapy (Groups) Therapeutic group sessions addressing various concerns including anxiety, depression, spiritual trauma, purity culture recovery, intuitive eating, and personal growth through shared experiences. Some groups accept insurance (BCBS PPO) or out-of-pocket payment at approximately $80/session.
• Kids & Teens Therapy Specialized therapy services for children and adolescents using play therapy, art therapy, and age-appropriate techniques to help young clients express emotions and develop coping skills. Targeted at kids and teens experiencing behavioral, emotional, anxiety, or depression concerns.
• Psychological Testing Comprehensive psychological and neuropsychological assessments for ADHD, ASD, learning disabilities, cognitive functioning, accommodations documentation, and diagnostic clarification. Rates vary based on time and materials required.
• BodyWork & Somatic Healing Somatic therapy modalities that address trauma, stress, and emotional healing through body-based techniques and embodied healing practices. Targeted at clients seeking somatic and embodied approaches to trauma and emotional healing.
• Agave Center for Justice in Mental Health A nonprofit organization affiliated with Agave Studio that works to advance equity and justice in the acquisition of mental health services, providing financial assistance and culturally appropriate care for underserved populations.

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Agave Center for Justice in Mental HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA nonprofit organization affiliated with Agave Studio that works to advance equity and justice in the acquisition of mental health services and supports for vulnerable and traditionally underserved populations. Believes affordable mental health care is a human right and that everyone should have access to high quality, culturally appropriate care.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Lyra Health: Lyra Health is a large mental health benefits platform serving employers with a mix of in-person and virtual therapy. Comparable to Agave Studio in serving the clinical therapy demand layer, but operates at broader scale via enterprise contracts and a hybrid provider network.
• Talkspace: Talkspace is a publicly-traded online therapy platform connecting clients to licensed therapists via messaging and video. Comparable to Agave Studio as a licensed-therapist-delivered mental health service, but operates purely digitally with a national footprint.
• Spring Health: Spring Health is a mental health benefits provider offering therapy, coaching, and psychiatry to employer populations. Overlaps with Agave Studio on the therapy delivery layer but differentiates through enterprise-grade scaling and technology-enabled care navigation.
• BetterHelp: BetterHelp is the largest online therapy platform offering unlimited messaging and live sessions with licensed therapists. Competes with Agave Studio for therapy demand but uses a fully digital, subscription-based model rather than a clinic-based approach.

Direct peers

• Two Chairs: Two Chairs operates a multi-location group therapy practice with a similar brick-and-mortar model in multiple U.S. cities, offering individual, couples, and group therapy with in-network insurance. Comparable to Agave Studio in its therapist-led, multi-modality clinical model and direct-to-consumer booking approach.
• Octave: Octave is a growing group therapy practice operating in multiple cities with a focus on evidence-based individual, couples, and group therapy. Directly comparable to Agave Studio in its clinical practice model, in-network insurance acceptance, and emphasis on matching clients to specialized therapists.

Emerging players

• Charlie Health: Charlie Health provides intensive outpatient (IOP) and virtual mental health treatment for adolescents and young adults. Overlaps with Agave Studio's kids/teens therapy segment and trauma focus, but operates at a higher acuity level with a tech-enabled virtual model.
• Grow Therapy: Grow Therapy is a therapist marketplace that helps providers accept insurance and run their practices. Comparable as an alternative for clinicians, and reflects the broader shift toward platform-based practice models that Agave Studio competes against.
• Alma: Alma is a therapist-focused platform that helps independent providers manage insurance billing, credentialing, and practice operations. Comparable to Agave Studio in that it serves licensed therapists across modalities, but operates as an infrastructure layer rather than a direct therapy practice.
• Headway: Headway is a platform that helps therapists accept insurance by handling credentialing, billing, and practice management. Comparable to Agave Studio on the therapist-payer interface and could be a competitive threat or operational partner for in-network practices.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/AgaveStudioforPsychotherapy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/agave-studio-for-psychotherapy-and-spiritual-direction

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Agave Studio