How to Get Therapy Without Insurance

Mental illnesses are more prevalent in the U.S. than commonly believed, affecting about 40% of adults, with anxiety and depression being the most common disorders. The depression rate has reached a record high, rising by 10 percentage points in the last five years, emphasizing the growing need for affordable mental health care.

Therapy plays a key role in treating these disorders, offering benefits like reduced substance use and improved relationships. Yet, many insurance companies don’t fully cover therapy sessions, leaving people to seek other options. What alternatives exist? Let’s dive into a few.

How to Get Affordable Therapy Without a Health Insurance

Mental health conditions like anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder need proper care, just like physical illnesses such as diabetes or hypertension. Without affordable treatment options, these disorders can worsen over time. Common therapies—like individual therapy, support groups, behavioral health o couples therapy—are effective but can be expensive for many people.

Most patients require 15-20 therapy sessions to address their mental health challenges, according to the American Psychological Association. Unfortunately, many insurance plans don’t cover therapy, and those without insurance coverage have even greater hurdles. This leaves countless individuals struggling to access the mental health benefits they need.

Thankfully, being uninsured doesn’t mean help is out of reach. Affordable options include hotlines, group therapy, online platforms, and counseling from non-profit organizations. These resources provide meaningful support for those seeking low-cost therapy to improve their mental health without breaking the bank.

How Much Does Therapy Cost Without Insurance?

Health insurance often reduces the cost of therapy to an affordable copay of $20 to $50, depending on the health care provider and therapy services. For those who are uninsured, the average amount of money you will have to get out-of-pocket will range from $80 to $250 per session (in the U.S.).

But let’s mention the factors that can make going to therapy so expensive, such as a deductible.

6 Factors that Affect the Cost of Therapy

1. Therapy modality: The type of therapy needed for your treatment may determine the cost. The rates for Behavioral, Cognitive, Dialectical, and psychiatry sessions always have different fees.
2. Therapist’s expertise: A highly trained therapist with specialized credentials and many years in the field of experience tend to charge higher fees for their services. 
3. Therapist’s specialty: Some therapists dedicate additional years of training to improve knowledge in one specific topic, for example, depression or personality disorders. They will be able to offer a better evaluation and treatment, but they will charge more. 
4. Therapist’s reputation: Renowned therapists with numerous referrals  are usually very requested, and they can easily increase the fees, keeping still a high number of patients. 
5. Location of therapy: Therapy fees can vary enormously from one city to another, usually it is higher in cities with higher living costs.
6. Treatment modalities: In-person sessions require an office in a health center and are usually more expensive than virtual sessions with licensed therapists.

6 Options to Get Low-cost Mental Health Care Without Insurance

Exploring Medicare or Medicaid can help make therapy more affordable. Medicare supports those over 65 or with permanent conditions and disabilities, while Medicaid aids low-income individuals and families with serious mental health needs. Both provide access to mental health treatment and other services at lower costs.

If these options aren’t available, consider low-cost alternatives like hotlines, group therapy, online therapy platforms, or non-profit counseling services. These resources make mental health support accessible without insurance:

1. Counseling with online psychologist

Online counseling is one of the best options when you don’t have an insurance plan and want to save some money. There are a lot of websites that offer cunseling with great specialists and prices that are even ¼ of what you would pay in an in-person consultation.

Online counseling with Sanarai

At Sanarai you’ll find a team of experts readies to help you with any type of mental health issue. Our psychologists come from different certified universities and have dedicated many years to offer specialized services like cognitive therapy, psychoanalysis, sexology, and many others. Schedule your session today for only 20$!

2. Low-cost mental health clinics

Well-being clinics are not made only for those who have insurance, you can get low-cost health care at a nearby community health center administered by the US Services Administration.  The fee to pay will depend purely on your income. The website to check what health center is closer is: https://findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov/

Typically, you will have an initial intake interview to determine the level of care and services you need. You will also be asked about your income to determine if you are eligible for discounted treatment.

3. Wellness organizations

There are some organizations dedicated to bringing psychological therapy with lower fees (30-80$), some of them are: Open Path Psychotherapy Collective, Growtherapy and Calmerry. 

4. Sliding scale therapists

Sliding scale is a pricing system in which the therapy fee will be based on your income. So if you’re struggling financially, your session costs might be significantly lower.

Ask about discounts or sliding-scale fee options to see if any of these are available for you. Some social workers may also offer therapy at a reduced rate to make services accessible for all.

5. Employee assistance programs (EAP’s) 

Some companies offer counseling and assistance for problems that interfere with their employee’s pellejina, this is called  an Employee Assistance Program and usually include a limited number of therapy sessions for emotional issues, relationships, or substance abuse issues.

These are often provided at really low cost to the employee and can be in-person, online, or by phone. These types of sessions must be approved by the human resources department and are very useful in stressful jobs. 

6. College Health Centers

College Mental Health Centers are generally run by local universities or hospitals, where students train becoming mental health professionals. They provide affordable counseling as a way for their trainees to get real-life experience with patients under the supervision of qualified professionals.

These are an excellent option for those who don't have insurance or can't cover the out-of-pocket costs of traditional therapy. Keep in mind that the staff at these clinics usually aren't fully qualified yet, so they won't have as much knowledge or experience as an experienced therapist.

Free Mental Health Services

Finding free therapy might sound impossible, but the truth is that there are always non-profit organizations and good people willing to offer help without asking anything in return. Some of these options are: 

1. Hotlines

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) helpline 1-800-950-6264 offers information and resources in the mental health area. NAMI also has a crisis messaging line where you can contact a trained counselor who will help you. For using that service, text “NAMI” to 741741. 

Hotlines are staffed by trained mental health professionals who provide immediate emotional support, crisis intervention, and guidance to people needing mental health assistance, and it is totally free. Some useful hotlines are:

Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-SUICIDE

Eating Disorders Center: 1-888-236-1188

GriefShare: 1-800-395-5755

LGBTQIA+ Helpline: 1-800-398-GAYS

Drug Abuse National Helpline: 1-800-662-4357

2. Non-profit organizations

There are many good organizations you could check, starting with The Mental Health America (MHA), a national organization that shares so many mental health resources  through education, advocacy, research, and services. MHA's goal is to identify mental illnesses early and create a care plan for each individual to access affordable community mental health services. Use the affiliate locator option to find a mental health professional.

You can also check The National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics (NAFC) website, it is a nonprofit organization that works to ensure that the medically underserved have access to affordable, quality health care. 

3. Group therapy

Peer support usually results in wonderful outcomes, since most people are just looking to feel supported and understood by people like them. These groups might meet at a church, school, or community health center and are organized by experts in that area, so you will not only meet people that are living the same situation. You will be in touch with experts that will listen to you. 

Get an Affordable Consult with a Mental Health Professional from Sanarai

Taking care of your mental health is crucial, even without insurance. At Sanarai, we offer affordable counseling options, starting at just $20 for your first session. With flexible pricing, available 24/7 in multiple languages, our goal is to create a trusting environment where specialists help you become the best version of yourself.

Thousands of people have transformed their lives through our counseling services. If you don’t see your specific issue listed, don’t worry—our team of accredited psychologists is here to assist you quickly and provide the support you need.