The Cost of Mental Health

Your clinicians get it— the stability of your emotions comes at a cost, but it’s not forever and can be the most beneficial and balancing support of your wellness journey.

The average cost of therapy for 2023 ranges from $75-$200+ as a self-pay rate. This can add up to $400+/mo if you’re seeing your therapist weekly. It definitely adds up! The price of therapy really depends on your area, type of specialty, and the type of degree your therapist holds.

BUT, let’s talk about your options for paying for therapy. 

Many therapists appreciate self-pay, but we know that isn’t available to everyone, which is where insurance can be of benefit! Many clinicians prefer to stray away from insurance due to the mandatory diagnosis of clients and the headache of dealing with insurance companies. However, if your provider is ‘in-network”, you’ll most likely pay a co-pay. If your insurance is “out-of-network,” you can ask your therapist for a Superbill to send to your insurance for potential reimbursement. Another option is asking your therapist for a sliding-scale fee if you truly cannot afford therapy. Most clinicians have specific + limited spots available for sliding scale.

As mental health therapists with “healer hearts,” it can be expected for us to bend our prices or offer sliding scale due to financial strain— and most of us do. But would you ask your gynecologist, endocrinologist, or dentist to offer sliding scale prices? We sit with our clients for an hour per week, with all of our attention centered on them. Do you get this care with most doctors? We want to be able to offer a sliding scale to people who need it, but it becomes difficult when it’s almost expected of us where it isn’t expected with other providers. 

Where is the fine line between boundaries, meeting others where they are, and making a living? I don’t have the answer and am always working towards finding the middle ground— where care for you and sustainability for self meet.