How to Get Therapy Without Insurance — And Why You Might Want To
Most people choose to use their insurance when they are looking for a therapist. Depending on your benefits, it may be more cost effective for you. You may have to meet a deductible before your insurance covers sessions or you may have a copay. But a lot of people wonder how to get therapy without insurance because there are several reasons why paying out of pocket for therapy might be a better option.
You don’t have great mental health benefits. You may have a very high deductible, which could make the cost of therapy feel overwhelming. However, many therapists offer a sliding scale rate for sessions, which means they can adjust the cost based on your financial situation. This can make therapy more affordable and accessible, allowing you to get the support you need without the financial burden.
Privacy. When you use insurance, your therapist will diagnose you in order to bill insurance. Some people don’t want anyone to know their diagnosis and they wish full privacy when seeing a therapist. When you are self pay, your therapist will need to keep notes but they don’t share them with any insurance companies. The records are yours if you wish to see them and your therapist keeps them safe and confidential.
You do not have a diagnosis. You may come to therapy for help with a specific issue that doesn’t meet a diagnosis or you may need more coaching versus therapy (some therapists are also coaches.) When you bill insurance for therapy sessions, your therapist diagnoses you from the DSM-5 criteria and explains in their note why you need insurance to cover the session. Sometimes you just need help, validation and a third party to talk to without a diagnosis.
Your favorite therapist doesn’t take insurance. They’re out of network and will give you a superbill, which you can submit to your insurance for out of network reimbursement or they don’t deal with insurance at all. This is when you would pay them via credit card, cash, etc.
There are great reasons to use your insurance but sometimes it's not the best option. When you have a phone consult or intake appointment with a new therapist, this is a great time to ask them about fees, cost and insurance so you know what to expect. If you choose to pay out of pocket, your therapist can give you a good faith estimate as to what therapy will cost over a month, three months or another timeframe.
Let’s take the next step together. Schedule your free and private consultation now.
