How Much Does Therapy Cost?

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One of the most common reasons people hesitate to start therapy is because of a very real concern about cost. The average cost of therapy in the United States is not known precisely, but many clinicians charge between $100 and $200 per session. Rates can vary significantly depending on the therapist’s credentials, location, years of experience, and areas of expertise. For people with private health insurance or employer-sponsored benefits, the cost of therapy may be lower, though the exact amount depends on the details of the insurance plan.

This article explains how to navigate the cost of therapy, whether you plan to use insurance or pay out of pocket, and offers tips for finding lower-cost alternatives.

Therapy with insurance

The cost of therapy can vary depending on the type of health insurance plan you have. Some plans offer little or no coverage for mental healthcare, while others cover therapy more fully. If you plan to use insurance to pay for therapy, it is important to review the details of your plan and understand the terms that affect what you may pay. Major insurance companies often have online tools that can help you estimate the cost of care.

Here are a few tips for using insurance for therapy:

Check whether your therapist is in-network prior to beginning therapy

Before scheduling, confirm a prospective therapist’s in-network status with both the therapist’s office and your insurance company; this can be done with a simple phone call to both places.

Investigate if you have a copay, deductible, and coinsurance

A copay is a fixed amount you pay per session; a deductible is the amount you must pay before your insurance starts covering costs; coinsurance is the percentage of the cost you pay after meeting your deductible. Understanding these terms can help you estimate your actual per-session cost. In most cases, these numbers can be found on your plan Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC), a document given to you (and often available online) when you enroll with an insurance plan.

Determine whether therapy requires prior authorization

Some insurance plans may require approval before they will cover therapy, especially for certain types of care or longer-term treatment. If prior authorization is required and not completed, you may be responsible for the full cost, so it’s critical that you confirm first.

Ask whether there are limits on coverage

Some plans may limit the number of covered sessions, the types of therapy covered, or the diagnoses that qualify for coverage. It can be helpful to ask your insurer whether outpatient therapy is covered and whether any visit limits apply.

Therapy without insurance

Many clinicians do not accept health insurance, which means clients pay for their services fully “out of pocket.” Therapists with specialized experience or expertise in a particular condition may be more likely to be out-of-network than therapists who treat a broader range of concerns or those who are newer to the field.

Even if you do not have insurance, do not have coverage for therapy, or cannot find an in-network therapist, there may still be ways to access lower-cost care. For instance, you may ask for a sliding scale, which is a reduced rate based on a client’s financial situation. Some therapists reserve a limited number of sliding-scale spots for clients who cannot afford their full fee. The best way to find out whether a therapist offers this option is to ask during an initial consultation.

Community mental health centers can be an alternative option for accessing mental healthcare at a reduced cost. Many offer services based on an individual’s income or ability to pay.