Key takeaways

  • On average, therapy costs about $65–$250 per session in the United States, depending on factors such as where you live and therapist specialty.
  • Forty-two percent of respondents in a 2018 survey said cost and poor insurance coverage were the main barriers to accessing mental health services. 
  • Even if your insurance provider covers mental health therapy, your therapist may not accept it.

If you live with a mental health condition, you’re not alone. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that more than one in five American adults live with mental health issues, and more than one in five people ages 13–18 will develop a serious mental health concern at some point in their lives. If you or a loved one has a mental health diagnosis, you may seek professional care from a therapist. 

For some people, though, it can be challenging to access therapy due to the high costs associated with mental health treatment. Insurance companies sometimes don’t cover mental health services, and some therapists don’t take insurance. Even if someone has coverage for therapy, their insurance company may require prior authorization from their health care provider to prove that it is a medical necessity—making access to treatment even more challenging. 

If you’re considering therapy or looking for a therapist, you may wonder how much it costs and if you can afford it. Read on to learn about the costs associated with mental health care and ways to make care more financially accessible. 

What is therapy? 

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), therapy, also known as psychotherapy or counseling, involves meeting with a licensed therapist to resolve issues due to mental health challenges. A therapist can offer treatment to help you identify and change troubling behaviors, feelings, and thoughts. 

NIMH explains that you might seek therapy for a few reasons, including:

  • You have symptoms without physical explanation, such as poor appetite, fatigue, constant irritability, and excessive worry.
  • You’ve experienced the loss of a loved one, persistent stress from a job or living situation, or family or relationship issues.
  • A health care professional has noticed signs of or has diagnosed you with a mental health condition affecting your daily living.
  • You’re supporting a loved one who has recently been diagnosed with a condition affecting their health.

Therapy can help you:

  • Become stronger in the face of challenges.
  • Change behaviors that hold you back.
  • Heal wounds from the past.
  • Figure out your goals.
  • Develop relationship skills.
  • Look at ways of thinking that affect how you feel.
  • Boost your self-confidence.
  • Cope with mental illness symptoms.
  • Manage strong emotions.
  • Improve your problem-solving skills.

How much does therapy cost?

The cost of therapy varies based on many factors, like the therapist’s level of training, specialization, location (therapists working in big cities with higher costs of living typically charge more), and the length of sessions, amongst other factors. Cost can also be influenced by whether the therapist works in a private or government funded clinic practice, whether they charge on a sliding scale, and for those who are able to use health insurance, how much the copay is. Taking these and other considerations into account, the range typically falls between $100-$200 per session.

Several factors can affect the cost of therapy sessions, including:

Type of therapy

Cost can fluctuate depending on the type of therapy you’re seeking. Here’s a breakdown of common types of mental health therapy and their average costs.

  • Individual therapy: Also known as individual counseling, this type of therapy involves one-on-one sessions to address emotional, psychological, or behavioral problems. How much does individual therapy cost without insurance? Depending on the state, the average rate for a solo in-person therapy session can cost between $100–$200, according to 2018 data compiled by SimplePractice. The Handbook team’s research in 2024 has found costs for online therapy typically range between $65-250 per session.
  • Couples therapy: This form of psychotherapy involves the participation of both partners in a committed relationship to address relationship issues. You can attend couples therapy in person or online. According to our review of the best online couples counseling, you can expect to pay $260–$800 per month for virtual couples therapy without insurance, depending on which platform or therapist you choose and how often you attend sessions.
  • In-person therapy: In-person therapy is any session delivered in a physical setting, such as a therapist’s office. Research has found that teletherapy and in-person therapy frequently have similar costs.
  • Online therapy: Online therapy, teletherapy, or e-therapy is delivered virtually through video calls, voice calls, live chats, or text messages. How much does online therapy cost? According to our review of the best online therapy platforms, you can expect to pay between $200–$436 per month, although you may pay more or less depending on which platform or therapist you choose and how many sessions you attend. 

Location

Location can affect the cost of therapy. The city and state where a therapist is located play a major role in determining the cost of therapy sessions. For example, according to a 2019 SimplePractice Sessions Rate Report, the median session fees in 2018 for people living in Louisiana were $110 vs $200 in North Dakota. Variations in cost across the states may be due to cost of living and overhead costs for the therapist or private practice, whether government funded clinics (with sliding-scale fees) are easily accessible, and the number of therapists available in a given area (demand vs supply).

Insurance coverage

The cost of therapy sessions also depends on insurance coverage. Most private insurance companies provide full or partial coverage for mental health services like therapy. Federally funded programs like Medicaid and Medicare will also provide coverage for mental health therapy.  

However, while insurance companies are required to cover mental health services under the Affordable Care Act, they don’t typically cover couples therapy. Most insurance plans don’t consider relationship problems to be medical issues. However, if a doctor prescribes couples counseling for a person who is receiving mental health care for an issue that is affecting the relationship, insurance may in some cases cover it. (Learn more about building a healthy relationship with your partner.)

Still, even if your insurance provider covers mental health therapy, your therapist may not accept it. 

Check out our guide to online therapy platforms that take insurance for more information.

Therapist specialization

Therapists with certain specializations may charge a higher price due to years of experience and the costs of training, courses, and any expenses associated with offering their services. 

“The specific modalities that tend to be on the higher [part of the] scale are typically eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), somatic experiencing, neurofeedback, expressive arts therapy, couples therapy, and psychedelic-assisted therapy,” Wells says.

How to pay for therapy

According to a 2018 study of access to mental health care by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, 42 percent of respondents said cost and poor insurance coverage were the main barriers to accessing mental health services. 

If you’re having financial difficulties paying for therapy sessions, there are several ways to save money.

Insurance

Contacting your health insurance company is a good starting point for finding affordable mental health therapy. 

According to the APA, your insurance company can give you a list of therapists in-network with your insurance plan. This can ensure you get better coverage than you would if you chose an out-of-network therapist. Ask about coverage for out-of-network providers as well, though, since you may be able to get reimbursed for a portion of the cost. 

You can also ask a therapist if they accept your insurance before using their services. 

Online therapy

Online therapy may be more affordable than in-person therapy, but it’s not right for everyone. 

“Therapists can offer more accessible rates while providing telehealth,” Wells says. “This is because the therapist doesn’t need to rent out a space, invest in furniture and supplies, and can then extend those extra funds into sliding scale spots if available.”

Health savings accounts

If you have a health savings account (HSA), you can use it to pay for mental health services. An HSA allows you to put aside money on a pre-tax basis to pay for qualified medical expenses, such as therapy. 

Employee benefits

If you or your family member is employed, your employer may offer free or low-cost mental health benefits. Speak with your employer’s HR department to determine if your benefits package covers therapy sessions or if you have free access to mental health services, such as through an employee assistance program.

Low-cost clinics

If you have insurance, you may have trouble finding an in-network mental health therapist with the specific expertise or availability you or a family member need. In these situations, it may be necessary to seek out lower-cost mental health clinics.

The following resources can help you find low-cost mental health clinics near you:

Ask about sliding-scale payment options

Many therapists offer a sliding scale payment structure to people with limited incomes. Your therapist may request proof of financial hardship, such as a Medicaid or food stamp card, to ensure you qualify for lower-cost therapy.

Bottom line

The cost of online and in-person therapy can be very similar. In some cases, online therapy can be more affordable, but it’s not right for everyone. The average cost of a single therapy session can range from $65-$250 or more.

Before working with a therapist, contact your health insurance company to learn about coverage. They may be able to point you to in-network therapists. You can also use the resources mentioned above to find affordable mental health professionals in your area or online.

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  7. American Psychological Association. (2018, April 19). Couples therapy Link
  8. University of Colorado Counseling Center. (2021). Telehealth Vs In-Person Therapy. Link
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