How much does therapy cost in 2023? The cost for therapy is one of the greatest barriers to mental health treatment. While the cost of therapy is a very real concern, it is often possible for people to access free or low-cost therapy, especially if they live in large metropolitan areas.
Average Cost of Therapy Sessions
In most areas of the country, a person can expect to pay $100-$200 per session. This is the typical rate for a therapist in Austin, Texas. Should you choose to see a therapist outside of your insurance network, you will find that therapists charge different rates depending on their office location, level of education, and degree of expertise in their field.
Some therapists may charge as much as $200 or more per session, but most will charge $115-$175 a session. Many therapists work with a sliding scale fee schedule, which means their fee will depend on your income level. Therapy tends to be more expensive when the therapist is an expert in a highly specialized field or treats an unusual or challenging condition.
Some therapists also charge more for a longer initial consultation. Couples counseling is typically more expensive due to the therapist seeing both parties as a couple. If you use insurance, your therapist’s office can create a ledger for you to submit to your insurance company for reimbursement. If costs are an issue, many areas have community mental health agencies that provide therapy at a reduced fee. Contigo Wellness is an affordable option for providing anti-racist healing through a decolonized and destigmatized therapy lens.
How much does therapy cost?
How much Does Therapy Cost with Insurance?
Under the Affordable Care Act, all insurance plans must cover mental health care. Additionally, people with insurance usually have some coverage for therapy. In most cases, they must choose a therapist within their network. They may also have to meet other criteria, such as having a mental health diagnosis, meeting a deductible, or getting a referral for treatment. Consequently, even people with insurance may opt to pay for their therapy out of pocket.
When people pay for therapy through insurance, they typically must pay a co-pay. Insurance co-pays vary widely, from just a few dollars to $50 or more. In that case, you will likely be limited to however many sessions your insurance will pay for, which can vary. Keep in mind that if you decide to utilize insurance, your provider will have full access to your session information as well as diagnosis. Also, you’ll want to check with your insurance provider to ensure they cover behavioral health, and to determine the deductible amounts.
How Much Does Therapy Cost Without Insurance?
If you do not have insurance, or you wish not to file with your insurance provider for privacy reasons, you can expect to pay the standard rate as set by your local therapist, psychologist, or psychiatrist. As discussed, this rate could be anywhere from $105 to $250+ per hour-session. Some Associate therapists may charge less than this amount.
How Much Does Online Therapy Cost?
Online therapy is usually fairly affordable and convenient. Since you will be attending therapy sessions online in the comfort of your own home, or while traveling, you can often schedule your therapy sessions for times that are the most convenient for you. Session fees can cost $105-150 depending on private pay and insurance. Some insurance companies will not pay for telehealth (online) therapy sessions.
Today, many states require insurance providers to cover online therapy just as they would traditional therapy sessions. Contact your insurance company to learn more about how online treatments will be covered by your policy. Online therapists often offer affordable treatment options for those who are not covered by health insurance. Read more on Advantages and Disadvantages of Remote Therapy, here.
How to Pay for Therapy
For many people, insurance offers the best option for funding therapy. Try calling your insurer to ask about mental health coverage and to get a list of in-network providers. Additionally, some therapists offer therapy on a sliding-scale basis. Consider asking about this option when you interview therapists. Some employee assistance and benefit programs also offer help paying for therapy. Contigo Wellness is offering barrier free mental healthcare and healing funding on a limited basis.
Is There a Way to Get Free Therapy?
A number of clinics are working to expand access to health care services, including mental health services, by offering free or discounted treatment. The National Association for Free and Charitable Clinics, for example, offers free and low-cost care.
Some other options for finding free therapy in your area include:
- Contacting your state’s department of public or community health. Many offer community mental health clinics or referrals to free or low-cost services.
- Enrolling in studies for mental health conditions. If you have a specific diagnosis, your local college or university may be researching your diagnosis. You can often get free care, including medication and therapy, by enrolling in such a study.
- Seeking care at a college or university clinic. If you are a student, you may be eligible for free care at your college or university. If you are not a student but are located near a university that has a mental health care program, students in that program may offer free treatment to meet licensure requirements.
- Many universities offer free or sliding-scale therapy programs to people pursuing training as therapists. Try calling schools near you to ask about access to low-cost therapy.
- Many therapy practices also employ novice therapists who need experience. These interns or apprentices may offer free or low-cost mental health care.
- Telehealth services, which offer counseling online or on the phone, may also be more affordable.
Getting Therapy Help
Therapy can be expensive, particularly when you look only at the price tag and not the total value. However, therapy can also offer significant benefits, including an improved outlook. People who are less productive because of depression, who suffer from compulsive shopping or gambling, and who experience problems at work may ultimately have a positive shift in behaviors as a result of therapy.
Even when therapy does not offer a direct economic benefit, it can greatly and permanently improve a person’s life. Check out our blog on Trauma and PTSD for more information on negative behaviors which can persist as a result of not being in therapy.
People considering therapy should consider the overall value of therapy, not just the cost. We hope we were able to provide clarification for the FAQ “how much does therapy cost?” To find an Austin therapist who can bring real value to your life, contact us, today.
Therapy treats various mental health concerns and behavioral issues via communicating and skill-building with a qualified mental health professional. The cost of seeing a therapist depends on the number of sessions you book, your location, if your therapist charges per hour or session, and more. On average, a therapy session costs between $60 to $120 for an hour-long session for those who do not have health insurance.
Mira offers affordable telebehavioral health for copays as low as $15. Members also get access to essential healthcare such as urgent care, lab testing, and more. Sign up today.
The Cost of Therapy
If you do not have health insurance, the cost of seeing a therapist can vary based on where you reside. For example, if you visit a therapist in New York or Los Angeles, the average rate for therapists can be about $250 per hour. Below is a table that shows the median therapy session rates for those without health insurance within different states.
The Cost of Therapy Based on Location
LocationMedian Therapy Session Rates Without InsuranceFlorida$90 or belowMichigan$90 or belowCalifornia$120Alabama$120Oregon$120Alaska$150 or aboveIowa$150 or above New Jersey$150 or aboveHawaii$150 or above
Source: https://www.simplepractice.com/blog/average-therapy-session-rate-by-state/
The Cost of Therapy at Different Clinics
The table below summarizes costs for 50 minutes to hour-long individual therapy sessions in specific clinics throughout the United States.
LocationAverage Cost of Individual Therapy Session Without InsuranceTherapy Group of NYC in New York City, NY$350Boston Evening Therapy Associates in Boston, MA$165Westside Psychotherapy in Madison, WI$165Good Therapy in San Francisco, CA$205Springs Therapy LLC in Colorado Springs, CO$120
Factors that Influence the Cost of Therapy
Most individuals spend between $60 to $120 on average for an hour-long session. Given this range, most therapists charge an average rate of $90 per hour. However, various factors impact this cost, such as sliding scale therapy, the type of therapist you see, and the type of therapy session you are attending.
Sliding Scale Therapy
A unique factor that impacts therapy rates is whether or not an individual qualifies for sliding scale therapy. If a therapist’s standard rate is $100 per hour, yet you make less than a certain amount of income each year, you could obtain hour-long therapy sessions for a price as low as $50. Every practice and therapist has their own set of sliding scale fees that can help those with fewer resources who still seek some form of therapy.
To find out if you qualify for sliding scale therapy, try contacting the clinic you are interested in. Through this, they will be able to work one-on-one with you to concoct a payment plan based on your needs. Additionally, if you have health insurance, it can be cheaper for you to pay for your therapist out of pocket with a sliding scale fee than utilizing your health insurance.
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Type of Specialist
There are a variety of specialists available with different niche backgrounds that offer therapy sessions. For example, a psychiatrist is a doctor qualified to treat psychological and physical symptoms related to mental health conditions. A psychologist is not a medical doctor; however, most psychologists have their Ph.D. and offer different evidence-based therapy options to their patients.
Additionally, a counselor is an individual who can help treat and offer insight into various mental health conditions. Still, they are typically overseen by a registered psychologist and have a minimum of five years of experience. Lastly, a psychotherapist utilizes talk therapy to treat people with emotional and mental problems. Below is a list of average costs per type of specialist.
Cost of Therapy Based on Specialist
Type of SpecialistAverage Cost Per Session Without Health InsurancePsychiatrist$100 — $200Psychologist$70 — $150Counselor$20 — $80Psychotherapist$100 — $300
Source: https://thervo.com/costs/how-much-does-therapy-cost
Different Types of Therapy Sessions Costs
Take a look at this table below for the average costs of different forms of therapy.
Type of TherapyAverage Cost Per Session Without Health InsuranceIndividual Therapy$70 — $150Group Therapy$30 — $80Couples Therapy$70 — $250Marriage Counseling$70 — $250Depression Therapy$100 — $250Sex Therapy$100 — $200Art TherapyFree — $100Grief Counseling$70 — $150Anger Management $50 — $150Cognitive Behavioral Therapy$100 — $200
Source: https://thervo.com/costs/how-much-does-therapy-cost
The Importance of Visiting a Therapist
Around 450 million people, one in four individuals, suffer from mental health disorders that impact their daily lives. However, only about 40% of individuals with a mental health disorder seek treatment. In today’s world, especially given the social isolation that the pandemic has posed on us and the age of social media, these mental health problems have begun to impact more and more individuals of younger ages.
Therapy serves as an outlet to taking steps in bettering one’s mental health. In therapy, individuals are taught skills to address symptoms on their own. Because of this, research has shown that the benefits of therapy outlast the benefits of medication alone.
When to Visit a Therapist
When considering visiting a therapist, it is important to remember that seeing a therapist can be the first step on the path of self-care. Some common signs may indicate seeing a therapist would be beneficial, such as:
- It isn’t easy to regulate your emotions. At times in life, you may feel hit with a flood of different emotions: anger, sadness, anxiety, and more. It is important to note how often you feel these bursts of emotions and how intensely you feel them. Through consulting with a therapist, you can learn to be vulnerable and identify deeper issues at the root of these feelings.
- Your work or school performance is declining. With this metric, individuals experiencing a tough time performing well in school/work could also be fighting some emotional or mental challenges, as these issues can impair concentration, memory, and energy. Meeting with a therapist could help you learn how to manage stress better and learn more ways to solve it actively.
- It is difficult for you to build and maintain relationships. Mental health can impact our relationships by prompting us to be more insecure or make us want to slowly back away from others around us. Additionally, it cannot be easy to cultivate or create new relationships. By visiting a therapist, you can enhance your social skills, which will enable you to feel more comfortable with building solid relationships around you.
- You are grieving. Grieving can be a slow, drawn-out process, especially if you do not have anyone to share the grief with. Through visiting with a therapist, you will be provided with a comfortable space to openly discuss your emotions and learn how to better cope with the grief.
- You hope to improve certain qualities within yourself but don’t know where to start. Therapy can allow you to see certain traits within yourself and identify tough points that you didn’t even know were present. By better understanding yourself, you can learn how to better interact in certain situations and impact others.
After deciding that you would like to seek a therapist, you can work together with your therapist to devise a plan about how long or often you would like to meet with them. On average, individuals who visit a therapist will go once a week for 45 minutes. Therapy sessions are most effective if you go 12 to 16 times for 45 minutes per session.
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Therapy Cost Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
To better understand what a therapy session entails and what to expect to gain out of one, look at these commonly asked questions revolving around therapy below.
What should I look for in a therapist?
Finding a therapist you feel comfortable with is critical to ensuring that you benefit and get the most out of your therapy sessions. When deciding what therapist to look for, the first question is: what do you want to get out of therapy? Do you want to process grief? Or are you looking for tips to conquer stress?
After evaluating these questions, consider gathering recommendations from close friends and family, as they are individuals who know you best. Additionally, some factors to consider when looking for a therapist are the amount of training a therapist has, whether or not the therapist is in-network with your insurance, and the level of specification you want to be covered in your therapy sessions.
Can I see a therapist virtually?
Given the circumstances throughout this past year especially, individuals have been able to meet with therapists virtually. Because of this online nature, individuals can choose which therapist they would like to see. If they reside in Los Angeles but have a therapist elsewhere, they can meet online and have sessions virtually.
Why should I meet with a therapist?
Therapy can help with various outlets within your life. By meeting with a therapist, you will be able to destress and truly reflect on your life to see what you would like to be improved or what is causing you stress. A therapist can also offer guidance and advice on healing processes, everyday life situations, and they can help you keep your mental health in check.
Bottom Line
Overall, therapy can be a significant and worthwhile expense. Your mental health impacts so many aspects of your everyday life, from your physical health to how you maintain your relationships. Thus, it is essential to maintain your mental health. Through meeting with a therapist, you can heal, process, reflect and receive guidance on how to live your healthiest life.
