Cost of Therapy in California: My Rates
Therapy is an investment in yourself, and I believe you should have a clear understanding of the cost before you get started.
Journey to Wellness Counseling is a private-pay therapy practice in California. I do not work directly with insurance companies, which gives us more flexibility to make decisions about your therapy based on your needs, goals, and progress rather than insurance requirements.
If you have out-of-network benefits, however, you may be able to receive partial reimbursement for your sessions. Below, you’ll find my current rates along with more information about payment, superbills, and using out-of-network insurance for therapy.
My Therapy Rates
The average cost of therapy in California varies greatly by location, therapist’s expertise, specialization, and license. My therapy rates reflect the length and focus of each session, so you can choose the format that best fits your needs and goals.
55-Minute Individual Sessions
$200
My standard 55-minute sessions are available for both intake and follow-up appointments. These sessions give us focused time to explore what’s happening, work toward specific goals, build practical skills, and address the patterns affecting your everyday life.
90-Minute Individual Sessions
$325
Extended 90-minute sessions give us extra time for deeper therapeutic work and are typically used for trauma reprocessing with ART or EMDR. This longer format gives you more space to work through difficult experiences without feeling rushed, while still allowing time for grounding and integration before you leave the session. In fact, ART has been shown to produce meaningful positive change in one to five sessions.
180-Minute Intensive Session
$850
Three-hour individual therapy intensives offer an immersive therapy experience where your concerns can be explored in greater depth. This longer format is available to ongoing clients or may be scheduled as an add-on after your first intensive. For busy professionals or clients who are motivated for change and interested in results-oriented therapy, intensives are a great option. This approach is designed to support meaningful change and transformation within a single day. For this reason, it’s an ideal approach for those who know what they want to work on and are ready to dive right in.
6-Hour Therapy Intensive
$1500
My six-hour therapy intensive provides a more comprehensive trauma-focused experience and includes:
- A 90-minute intake session
- A three-hour face-to-face trauma reprocessing session using ART and/or EMDR
- A 90-minute post-intensive session
This format gives us time to prepare for the work, focus closely on trauma reprocessing, and reconnect afterward to discuss how you’re doing and support continued integration.
Paying for Therapy
As a private-pay therapist in California, I’m not contracted with insurance companies. For this reason, I don’t communicate directly with them. However, being private pay doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t avail of my services. There are other payment options you can use, such as out-of-network benefits (OON) or other alternatives.
Payment Types Accepted
As a private-pay therapist, I offer multiple payment options for your convenience, including all major credit cards as well as Health Savings Account (HSA) and Flexible Spending Account (FSA) cards. These options are available to make accessing my services as seamless as possible.
Superbills
As an out-of-network therapist, I can provide superbills upon request. A superbill is a detailed receipt that you can submit to your insurance company for possible reimbursement.
It’s important to know that insurance companies require a formal diagnosis in order to process a superbill for reimbursement. I do not automatically provide a diagnosis or superbills as part of therapy. However, if you request a superbill, I will need to provide a formal diagnosis for insurance purposes. I recommend checking with your insurance provider beforehand to understand your specific out-of-network benefits and reimbursement requirements.
Insurance Reimbursement
If you have out-of-network benefits, you may be eligible to seek reimbursement by submitting claims directly to your insurance provider. To get started, contact your insurance company using the number on the back of your insurance card and ask about the process for submitting superbills, as this may differ from single-session claims.
Please note that state insurance plans, such as Medicaid (Medi-Cal), do not reimburse for out-of-network behavioral health services. However, they do sometimes cover behavioral health services outside of a network plan, but this depends on your specific plan and the service you’re looking for. I recommend checking your coverage before starting treatment to see if you’re responsible for any costs.
Also, I have chosen to opt out of Medicare. This means that I cannot bill Medicare for services or provide services to Medicare-eligible clients under their coverage. If you still want to pursue therapy with me, you can sign a Private Pay Agreement. This simply confirms that you will be responsible for payment. If you’re 65 or over or otherwise eligible for Medicare coverage, please let me know, and we can discuss what this means for your treatment ahead of your first session.
Help With Reimbursement
As a private-pay therapist in California, I’m not in-network with insurance companies, which means payment for therapy services is due at the time of each session. However, if you have OON benefits, you may be eligible for partial reimbursement by submitting a claim using a superbill.
The claim process can take some time, and follow-up may be necessary if your insurance company requests additional information or denies the claim.
Why Choose an Out-of-Network Therapist?
I know that the cost of therapy can be a significant financial commitment. Yet there are some important benefits to choosing an out-of-network therapist. In fact, perhaps the biggest benefit to working with a private-pay therapist is greater flexibility in deciding what therapy looks like.
Working as a private-pay-therapist in California allows for treatment decisions to stay between you and me based on what’s clinically appropriate for you. That means we’re not handcuffed by session limits, duration, frequency, diagnoses, or treatment approaches. Instead, we get to choose the length and frequency of sessions, as well as the treatment approaches based on your symptoms, goals, and needs.
For some clients, the ability to choose the therapist and treatment format that feel right makes private-pay or out-of-network therapy worth considering.
Questions to Ask Your Insurer About Out-of-Network Benefits
If you’re not sure what your plan covers, it can be helpful to call your member services number on the back of your insurance card and ask. But I also recognize that not everyone is insurance-savvy and will know what questions to ask, so I’ve put together a list of things you can talk to your insurer about out-of-network therapy benefit.
- Do I have behavioral or mental health coverage?
- Can I use out-of-network benefits for therapy?
- (If yes,) Do I have a deductible, and what part of that deductible have I met so far (if any)?
- (If yes,) Will I need to submit superbills for reimbursement, and if so, how?
- (If yes,) What percentage of an out-of-network therapy session will my plan reimburse?
- (If yes,) Is there a co-pay/co-insurance for out-of-network therapy visits?
- Is reimbursement based on the therapist’s full fee or an allowed amount?
- How many outpatient psychotherapy sessions are covered under my plan?
- Are there any annual limits, requirements, or restrictions?
- Do I need a diagnosis or prior authorization for reimbursement?
- Am I limited to a dollar amount per year that will be covered?
If a claim is denied or your insurer requests additional information, you may need to follow up with the company directly.
FAQs About Therapy Costs and Insurance in California
For many people, navigating therapy costs and insurance is confusing and can put a lot of people off from seeking therapy. My goal is to help you better understand what my rates are as a private-pay therapist, how OON benefits work, and why the cost of therapy shouldn’t dissuade you from seeking support. Below, I’ll address some common questions about costs and insurance.
How much does therapy cost in California?
The cost of therapy in California varies greatly. One therapist might charge $100 for a 50-minute session, while another may charge $300. There is no single average cost of therapy in California because it depends on the therapist’s location, experience, specialization, session length, and type of treatment provided.
For instance, a therapist located in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, is likely to cost more than a therapist in Fresno. This doesn’t mean the support you receive from either one is any better or worse. It’s mostly about fit and the therapeutic relationship. These are just examples of why the cost of therapy in California can vary so much.
Does Medi-Cal cover therapy?
Yes, Medi-Cal does cover therapy, including for common issues like depression or anxiety, specialty services for more serious mental health conditions, and substance use treatment. However, Medi-Cal does not have out-of-network benefits, which means that, as a private-pay therapist, you would not be eligible for possible reimbursement through Medi-Cal. If you have Medi-Cal, I recommend contacting your member services for referrals to participating Medi-Cal providers.
Can I get therapy through Medicare?
As I have opted out of Medicare, I am unable to bill Medicare for services. However, if you’re 65 or over, or otherwise eligible for Medicare, you can still work with me by signing a Private Pay Agreement that confirms you will be responsible for payment and will not seek reimbursement from Medicare. This is something I am more than happy to discuss with you prior to your first session.
How much is therapy without insurance in California?
Without insurance, you will generally pay the therapist’s private-pay rate at the time of your appointment. Some therapists also offer sliding scale fees. These are usually lower costs based on income and ability to pay, and typically discussed on an individual basis. You can ask the therapist you’re interested in if they offer sliding scale fees.
At Journey to Wellness Counseling, a standard 55-minute session costs $200. If you have a PPO or another plan that covers out-of-network therapy, you may still be able to receive reimbursement even though I don’t bill your insurer directly.
What is out-of-network insurance?
Out-of-network insurance means a provider does not have a contract with your insurance company. This often means the responsibility of cost will fall on you. However, if your insurance has OON benefits, you may be eligible for possible reimbursement. If you’re worried about the cost of therapy, it’s important to ask if your insurer offers out-of-network therapy benefits before starting treatment.
Are there affordable therapy options in California?
Yes, if private-pay therapy is outside your budget, you can find some more affordable options, including:
- Therapists who accept your insurance (if you have it)
- Community mental health organizations
- Nonprofit counseling centers
- University training clinics
- Practices offering sliding scale or reduced-fee services
If you have out-of-network benefits, it is also worth finding out how much your insurer may reimburse before assuming private-pay therapy is unaffordable.
Ready to Begin?
If you’re interested in working together, schedule a free consultation. We can talk about what brings you to therapy, what you’re hoping to change, and whether I may be the right fit to help you move forward. And if you have concerns about costs and payment, I’d be more than happy to answer any additional questions you may have.