How to Find a (Good) Therapist When You Don’t Have Insurance

Roughly 31 million Americans are uninsured right now, and estimates suggest that one in four Americans suffer from a diagnosable mental health disorder in any given year. How are the uninsured among them supposed to find a therapist who is not only affordable, but helpful? There are actually a few ways.

How much does therapy typically cost?

The average cost of therapy can range greatly depending on where you live. Therapists can charge anywhere between $65 to $200 a session, but in more expensive cities like New York or Los Angeles, therapy can cost upwards of $200 per session. Those who have health insurance are not left unscathed. It can be daunting to find a therapist who is in-network with your insurance and dually daunting when you may have a high deductible. According to Diana Liao, a licensed mental health counselor, out-of-network deductibles can range from $750 to $3000 on the lower end, but can be as high as $10,000 in some plans.

The other thing to be mindful of is your copayment rate. While some copays can be as low as $15 per session, others can be as high as $60. When you start seeing a therapist you should see them once a week for a minimum of 40 minutes each time, which can add up fast.

Luckily, though, there are ways around these exorbitant prices.

Sliding scale clinics and therapists

Sliding scale therapists and clinics are mental health workers who will adjust their hourly fee to make the therapy sessions more accessible to clients. There are a number of mental health directories, such as Open Path, that allow you to search for sliding scale therapists in your area. Open path is nationwide and has lists of mental health professionals in every state that range from $30 to $60 per session for individuals. Additionally, every therapist on Open Path adds a bio, their expertise, and years of experience so you can make sure to only reach out to the mental health professionals who resonate with you and will best serve your individual needs. Another nationwide directory is available at FindTreatment.gov. Rates there are determined by your income, but there is also an option for free services.

Outside of those directories, you can also look on Psychology Today, where therapists advertise their practices. “Many do not accept insurance, but are willing to discuss working with you on a sliding scale,” explained Ben Tavares, a psychotherapist in Philadelphia. “I’ve never spoken with another therapist who expressed anything negative about someone simply trying to explore a manageable fee.”

Take some time to explore these databases. You’re taking control of your mental health, even at a time when money might be short. It’s important—and a good therapist will be understanding of that.

Local colleges and universities’ mental health practitioner programs

Many colleges offer clinician-in-training programs at reduced session rates, kind of like how you can get a cheap haircut at a cosmetology school. These programs are often open to the public and can cost as little as $1. Sometimes, they have a website you can visit, like New York University’s Postdoctoral program in Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis, for example. But these programs aren’t always easy to find online, so the best way to check if your local university has one is to call and ask.

Employee assistance programs

Some employers offer mental health services through employee assistance programs (EAPs). EAPs are work-based intervention programs and mental health services that are designed to help employees in resolving personal issues.

According to the International Employee Assistance Professionals Association, over 97% of companies with more than 5,000 employees have EAPs in place. However, this percentage drops with the number of employees your company may have, so if you work for a smaller company, this might not be available to you. Your human resources department or employee handbook will be able to provide information on whether you have any EAP benefits.

The bottom line when looking for a therapist without insurance

While there are many affordable therapy options, it is important to also ask yourself a few questions before starting your path to better mental health.

“Knowing what you want to work on and what kind of therapy appeals to you will put you in a good position to make a more well-informed choice of a therapist,” Tavares said.

There are many different types of therapy, and most mental health professionals don’t use just one approach. Familiarize yourself with some of the most common types here. Many therapists will list what type of therapy they use in their bios, but that’s only helpful if you’ve done your research on which type might be best for you.

Most importantly, remember you’ll likely need more than a few sessions to see results. If you have been struggling with your mental health for years, “it is unlikely that these issues … will be resolved in five sessions of time-limited therapy,” Tavares said. Therapy sessions can be uncomfortable, but it is important to be open and candid with your therapist to ensure you’re getting the most you can out of it. “Broadly speaking, therapy may be considered an exercise in honesty.”

If you can do this affordably, that’s one less stressor that will impact your ability to commit and open up in your sessions.