Average Cost of Mental Health Treatment without Insurance

Picture of Monica Lewis
Monica Lewis
Therapist speaking with a patient

Average Cost of Mental Health Treatment without Insurance

Table of Contents

Access to mental health treatment and services is top of mind in the US today. A large part of access is cost of mental health treatment.

A focus on your mental health is your key to accessing an important realm of full health – and knowledge about the Cost of Mental Health Treatment is the first step in making th eright decision for you. We accept all kinds of insurance – what difference does your insurance make to how well you get treated? 

How to pay for it in the first place – is that unclear, too? If either answer is yes to these questions, then this guidebook will, in simple terms, will matter-of-factly tell you everything you might want, need, or wonder about the average cost of mental health treatment as well as detailed descriptions of the best, most cost-effective forms of talk-therapy you might benefit from, as well as other aids that will be of potential use to you that you can tailor towards personal optimized mental health.

Understanding the Financial Landscape and Cost of Mental Health Treatment 

There are so many things that can sway how much you will pay for psychotherapy, medication, or other mental health services:

  • The type of health insurance you have
  • Whether your insurance company has a budget limit on your plan
  • Whether your deductible has been met for the year
  • Your copay for psychotherapy, medication, and other mental health services
  • Whether you live in the US or not
  • Whether you live in a state that has a parity law that protects your right to equal mental health care
  • What state or country do you live in?
  • Whether the mental health professional you seek accepts your insurance
  • The city or city and state you live in
  • Whether you can obtain sliding-scale services based on your ability to pay
  • Whether you seek services in person or virtually
  • Whether or not you can afford copays and deductibles
  • If you live in the US, you need to insure against losing your life savings in case of an illness. In fact, unless you have insurance, you are legally ineligible for certain medically necessary procedures. So, if your financial situation allows, you should definitely get health insurance. That said, unless your insurance is a very special type, even if you are insured you won’t maximize your chances of good care.

Some other factors include:

  • Provider: There’s a question of what kind of provider you’re seeing. All therapists aren’t psychiatrists, and all psychologists aren’t psychiatrists, either. But all four groups – therapist, psychiatrist, psychologist, and licensed clinical social worker – are types of mental healthcare providers, and each carries its own cost.

A psychiatrist, on the other hand, is taught medical diagnosis as it pertains to ‘mental problems’, and is the only type of practitioner who is normally allowed to write prescriptions – though not often prescribing at all.

  • Places: These products were created at these places. This location is more expensive to produce due to more workers, fewer natural resources, more population, and more garbage.
  • Affordable: At Southern Live Oak Wellness, we believe that everyone and everyone you know spends at least one day per week stressed over the financial realities of functioning within their meager budget. We understand this – and our fees are among the best in town.
  • Experience level: More experienced providers may charge higher rates.
  • Duration and frequency: So 45-60 minutes long (more or less; so the exact timing can vary). And on a fairly regular basis over some time (‘regular’ here means ‘in a plan we have for how often events will happen over some time’).

Here’s a breakdown of average out-of-pocket costs:

  • A therapy session ranges from $138 to $300 without insurance (national average)
  • Co-pays: These can be $10 to $140, depending on how many times your psychiatrist (usually $150 to $400) and a psychologist ($100 to $200) you see.
  • Meds: This depends a lot on what drugs they put you on AND which pharmacy by the way this varies rather wildly in both ways – with drugs, you must also get something called prior authorization, which will take another several weeks (2-3) and for sure just requires you to pay more.

Understanding the costs of mental health treatment

Beyond Therapy: Additional Things to Consider for Cost of Mental Health Treatment

It’s important to consider additional costs that might be involved in your treatment plan:

  • Initial assessment: A charge may be levied for the initial assessment, to determine whether treatment is recommended and what it might involve.
  • Testing and diagnostics: Certain mental health conditions may require diagnostic tests.
  • Small-group therapy: fewer times per week, less expense per session, longer in total (or not – you may not have to pay for big groups).
  • Investing in Your Well-being: Affordable Options at Southern Live Oak Wellness

Remember that these costs are not reasons to not seek treatment. Southern Live Oak Wellness strives to make mental health treatment accessible. Our sliding scale therapy fees based on salary allow you to have access to treatment, regardless of your income. Our package includes treatment at a discount and on a payment plan: Our package includes treatment at a discount and on a payment plan so that you can pay your bills over the next few months.

Teletherapies are also a possibility, simple, anonymous and probably economical (either you won’t be able to put petrol in your car, or you wouldn’t want or need a ticket to use the underground to get to your face-to-face appointment, or it might be easier at a distance).

Don’t Let Cost Be the Only Hurdle: Mental Health Benefits

You think nothing of spending on your physical health, but when you have a mental illness and start to imagine what it is you’re actually paying for when you seek treatment, view it not as an expense, but as an investment. Why? Well: There are numerous benefits to mental health treatment.

  • A better life: If you have a mental illness, treatment that works can reduce symptoms to the point where you can work and begin to contribute to society, or at least be less isolated and miserable.
  • Improved productivity: untreated mental health problems can erode powers of concentration, initiative, or energy, either gradually or suddenly. Being in control of them can increase your output.
  • Better relationships: better mental health includes the capacity (indeed the capability) to relate to and with others in increasingly more supportive, healthier ways.
  • Less likely to be ill: Long-term mental health problems are an important cause of physical ill health. When we treat mental health problems, like depression, anxiety, or schizophrenia, we will reduce your risk of becoming physically ill. We will help you get better.

Beyond Therapy: Self-Care Strategies for Mental Wellness

Mind you, you need to seek out professional help, but here are some more self-care steps that you can use as a complement to your mental health care: Afraid? Well, there’s no time like the present to form good habits – swallowing your fears sleeping well, exercising, and eating a good diet conducive to good mental health.

  • Practice mindfulness and relaxation techniques through meditation, deep breathing, yoga, or other activities.
  • Good mental health means having lots of social contact: with friends and family.
  • Spend time on whatever enjoyable activities provide you with a sense of accomplishment.
  • Inform yourself about mental health conditions and possible treatments to feel empowered.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Addressing Your Concerns

Read this to answer the questions you most often ask about paying for mental health care without insurance and mental health care costs.

Q: How do I know if a therapist is qualified?

A: Find an individual credentialed with the state they practice in – that is, with a license – and that credential has to be licensed, and we have those things at Southern Live Oak Wellness, and we’re trained and we’ve been working in this field for a couple of decades.

Q: Are there any financial assistance programs available besides sliding scale fees?
A: Yes, some options include:

At some workplaces, you might have access to employee assistance programs or EAPs – services that provide some mental health counseling for employees (either free or at a low cost) to help with the cost of mental health treatment. Many community mental health clinics also provide charity care for people who qualify based on income.

Q: How can I manage the ongoing costs of treatment?

A: Treatment is an expense, just like paying for food or living arrangements, and in the more trying times of your recovery, those skills and those self-help workbooks can serve to shore up the fort in between visits to your doctor or to your care group or teletherapy. Treatment is something that should always be led by and take place at your pace, and Southern Live Oak Wellness can be a part of helping you figure out a treatment plan that can work for you, and at a budget that could work as well.

Southern Live Oak Wellness: Your Partner on the Road to Well-being

Every prospective client can schedule an initial complimentary consultation. In that phone consultation we will assess your needs what treatment will fit those needs, and how often and when that treatment will fit into your schedule.

Paying out of pocket for mental health care is exhausting financially, and none of these are covered under any kind of insurance with a premium, but here is something: there is a lot out there – a lot of advice and hacks and most importantly your goodwill to be happy – and you will find an affordable and efficacious care for you.

Recent

Understanding Mental Health Treatment, and how to make it effective, involves a collaborative approach, combining personalized care with evidence-based practices to foster lasting recovery and

Picture of Monica Lewis
Monica Lewis

Mental health is a crucial component of overall well-being, influencing how we think, feel, and act. It affects our ability to handle stress, relate to

Picture of Monica Lewis
Monica Lewis

Mental health is a vital aspect of overall well-being, influencing how we think, feel, and act. For those experiencing mental health issues, seeking appropriate treatment

Picture of Monica Lewis
Monica Lewis