How to Negotiate Your Therapy Rate

There may come a time when you need to negotiate your therapy rate. Perhaps you’re seeking out care with a therapist and would love to work with them but can’t afford their full rate. Maybe you’ve been laid off and can no longer afford how much you’ve been paying your therapist. You could be losing your health insurance and need to reevaluate your out-of-pocket expenses.

If you find yourself in any of these situations or a different circumstance that requires you to tighten your financial belt, there is no shame in negotiating your therapy rate because doing so may be essential for receiving the mental health support you need.

Read on to learn how to negotiate how much you pay for therapy.

Therapy Is Often Expensive

Our society currently lives with an unfortunate reality: that it is very expensive to maintain our mental health.

Amongst those surveyed, 37% had to quit therapy due to financial burdens. For those who haven’t had to quit their treatment due to finances, 49% of those surveyed admitted they were concerned about affording their therapy sessions moving forward.

While psychotherapy can be a financial burden in the immediate sense, it has also been proven to save costs in the long term. Seeking mental health care can prevent a mental health condition from accelerating, thus decreasing the overall amount of money spent on healthcare across one’s lifespan.

Still, that doesn't change the fact that affording therapy in the here and now can be difficult or even impossible.

How to Negotiate Your Therapy Rate

Some therapists offer a sliding scale rate for a limited number of individuals. A sliding scale is a discounted fee that therapists offer to make mental health care more accessible.

This is a common practice in the mental health field, so let this ease any uncertainty you may have about asking for a reduced rate. There is an art to negotiating your rate, though.

Before reaching out to a therapist and broaching the conversation, there are a few steps to handle on your end, like setting a budget and understanding the limits of sliding scale offerings. 

Set Your Budget

It is safe to assume the majority of people would like to save money where they can, especially when it comes to healthcare. However, money is part of the therapeutic experience, and even paying a few dollars can represent the power of investing in your well-being.

Holding the value of paying for therapy in mind, it is important to begin by setting your budget. Take a look at your monthly finances and realistically assess how much you can afford to allocate to therapy on a monthly basis.

So, if you can afford $120 a month, that means you have a weekly therapy budget of $30. If you can afford $700 a month, that means you have a weekly therapy budget of $175. There is no one "right" budget; you need to stay true to what feels feasible for you.

Once you’ve set your budget, you’re ready to start reaching out to therapists.

Understanding Sliding Scale

If you find a therapist on an online therapy directory, many therapists will list their rates on their directory profile, along with their sliding scale range. This can make the process of finding a therapist much easier.

Always Ask

There is no harm in asking about sliding scale fees. If you find someone who you think would be a perfect match for you and they are quite a bit out of your price range, it is still worth reaching out to them. Even if they are unable to work with you, you can ask them for referrals to providers with a lower fee who may have a similar therapeutic approach.

Open Path Collective is a great resource for seeking out diverse sliding-scale providers. On this online therapy directory, all sessions range between $40 and $70 each, and the directory features therapists who are committed to providing affordable care to those who need it the most.

Having the Conversation About Your Rate

It is best to be direct when discussing sensitive issues such as finances and fees. Tell your therapist directly if you can no longer afford the rate you have been paying them or the new rate they are suggesting.

While this conversation does not have to be accusatory, if you are having feelings about what you are paying, it's best to discuss them with your therapist. It's understandable if you are feeling angry, hurt, or betrayed; sharing these emotions with the therapist (even if, or especially if, they are the cause of those emotions) will help them understand the situation you are in and how best to help you.

Your therapist should be able to have an open and honest discussion with you about your rate. They might explain why they set the rate that they did, and might ask you how you feel about that. This is your opportunity to explain why you are feeling the way you are and help them understand what you can and cannot afford.

If you like your therapist and want to continue working with them, ask them directly if they can accommodate what you can afford or if you two can put your heads together to come up with a compromise that favors the both of you. If they cannot, you are well within your rights to ask for a referral, perhaps to a colleague of theirs who does charge lower rates, who offers sliding scale fees, or who takes your insurance.

This kind of conversation about fees does not have to be personal. It is not a moral failing on your part to not be able to afford to pay a lot for therapy, and it is not the responsibility of the therapist to charge lower than what their work is worth. It is ultimately a business transaction that must be amenable to both parties.

That said, letting your therapist know that you would like to keep working with them is always appreciated, and they are likely to feel the same way about working with you. Asking your therapist how best to approach this situation lets your therapist know that you are willing to work with them to come up with a solution, and invites them to do the same.

How to Expand Your Options

While money is part of the therapeutic process, many of us may experience seasons where we simply don’t have any expendable cash. There is no shame in this, and you still deserve care.

If you have health insurance, consider reaching out to your insurance company and ask them if they have any providers that are covered by your plan. Do a Google search for any local mental health non-profits as many hire therapists-in-training and offer free or deeply discounted services.

A Word From Verywell

Therapy is expensive, but that shouldn’t hold you back from seeking care. It can feel daunting to assess how you can afford therapy when in the midst of emotional hardship, so don’t hesitate to reach out for help. Even emailing therapists in your area for referrals can be a start.