How Much Does Therapy Cost in San Diego?

For many of us, it’s all too easy to indulge in that daily latte habit, pay for five different streaming services, or drop our hard-earned cash on a trip out of town with friends. But when it comes to investing in our mental health, we suddenly freeze up.

Here, we demystify the cost of therapy in San Diego so you can understand exactly what you’re paying for–and why it’s totally worth it.

Everything you need to know about the cost of therapy in San Diego

Picture this: your favorite band is in town and you’re on Ticketmaster trying to snag tickets. You find some for a half-decent price but when you go to check out, you realize that there are a bunch of random charges (what even is the service fee?!) and suddenly you’re paying double what you expected. 

Yup, been there.

That’s exactly the feeling we *don’t* want you to have when finding your dream therapist. Understanding the financial commitment of therapy is key to making an informed decision and being in full control of your well-being.

Average cost of therapy in San Diego 

Each therapist sets their own rates, and there are tons of different factors that play into the cost (more on that later). However, getting a feel for the average cost of a therapy session in San Diego can be a helpful metric for you to start budgeting. 

Keep in mind that most data on average session fees reflects therapists who accept insurance and therapists who don't work directly with insurance companies. To prepare for your therapy search, it's helpful to know that therapists often charge more than what they end up receiving back from a client’s insurance company. Translation: therapists are highly underpaid–which isn’t good for therapists or clients.

Anyways, back to the average session fee in SD. We did our own digging and took a look at what therapists in San Diego are actually charging. Based on averages from 25 local therapists within each specialty, here’s what we found:

(Remember, this is an average, so your future therapist might charge more or less than this amount.)

Note that therapists are required to disclose their fees to you. The No Surprises Act, which passed in 2022, requires all healthcare professionals to provide you with a Good Faith Estimate.

Read more about what a Good Faith Estimate is here.

Session fees for Best Therapists

Understanding the average cost of therapy in San Diego can give a helpful ballpark, but the clinicians on Best Therapists are anything but average 😉 Here’s a peek into what our therapists charge.

• Average session fee on Best Therapists: $199 per session*

*as of June 30, 2023

Our therapists tend to charge more than average because the quality of their care is higher than average. Before listing a therapist, we make sure they pass our rigorous vetting process with flying colors. Each and every therapist you see on our directory has an active license, stellar peer reviews, and a commitment to providing trauma-informed care. 

We also screen for burnout to ensure that your therapist is truly present for you–therapists on Best Therapists have smaller caseloads, meaning that they see a smaller amount of clients per week compared to other therapists. No shade to agency therapists with intense caseloads or overworked, underpaid therapists on online platforms. But, we believe that people receive the best care when their therapist can show up as their best self–and get paid what they’re worth. 

Is therapy covered by insurance?

The short answer is yes, therapy is typically covered by insurance. But many therapists, including many of ours at Best Therapists, don’t work directly with insurance companies. If the first chart in this post wasn’t enough to explain why therapists opt out of insurance panels, here are a few reasons to consider working with a private-pay therapist. 

Your brain, your choice

By now, you know that big corporations love telling people what’s best for them. Unfortunately (and unsurprisingly), insurance companies are no different. In order to bill your insurance plan, a therapist needs to give you a diagnosis. Your insurance provider can then dictate the number and frequency of your sessions depending on your diagnosis, your progress in therapy, and other factors.

On the other hand, paying out of pocket means that you get full control of your care–not some corporation that doesn’t actually know anything about you. You’ll work together with your therapist to create a plan that’s tailored to your unique needs, values, and goals. 

Complete confidentiality

Did you catch that part about therapists being required to disclose your diagnosis to your insurance company if you want to use your benefits? It goes beyond that, too. Your insurance provider has access to all your sensitive mental health information, outlined in the progress notes your therapist keeps.

While we firmly believe there’s no shame in seeking support, we also think that therapy consumers should have the right to choose who gets to know about their mental health care–and who doesn’t.

Thriving therapist = thriving client

You’re starting therapy for yourself, and your therapist’s well-being isn’t your responsibility. With that being said, wouldn’t you rather have a therapist who practices what they preach (AKA setting boundaries, prioritizing their own needs, not accepting less than they deserve)?

We definitely do 🙋‍♀️and we know that therapists whose financial needs are met can better show up for their clients. 

Consider your out-of-network benefits

With all of that being said, we also understand that cost is a huge barrier for people getting the help they need. While our whole mental health care system could use an overhaul to better meet the needs of both clients and therapists, you should still be able to access affordable, high-quality care in the meantime.

That’s where your out-of-network benefits can come in. Many insurance companies will reimburse you for the cost of therapy, even if your soulmate therapist doesn’t accept your insurance plan. Keep in mind that your therapist will need to give you a diagnosis and provide your insurance company with some health information if you choose to go with this option. However, using out-of-network benefits can make therapy more accessible for many people, which we love! 

Why is therapy so expensive?

There are tons of different factors that therapists consider when setting their rates. While it makes sense that you’re curious to know exactly what you’re paying for, we also want to challenge this question. Do you ask the bartender why that $15 drink is so expensive, or do you just hand over your card? 😉

Don’t worry, we get it. Putting your mental health needs front and center can feel super vulnerable and even a little scary. Knowing what you’re paying for can reassure you that you’re making a worthwhile investment.

Here’s a peek at what goes into your therapist’s rate: 

• Cost of living. Where you live can play a big role in the cost of therapy. San Diego isn’t cheap (as you know), so therapy might be a bit more expensive here than in other parts of the country.
• Education. Your therapist has at least a master’s degree in their field–maybe even a doctorate degree–in addition to thousands of hours of supervised practice. In other words, they know their stuff!
• Specialized training. Many therapists have further training in certain modalities, like EMDR or Internal Family Systems. Plus, all therapists are required to engage in continued education in order to maintain licensure.‍
• Time spent outside of session. Therapists only get paid for the time they spend face-to-face with clients. However, that’s not the only time they spend working. Writing case notes, making phone calls, pursuing further education, responding to inquiries, and other administrative tasks take up time, which is all factored into the cost of a single session.

Plus, the clinicians on Best Therapists go through a rigorous vetting process (read more about it) to get listed, so you know that you’re paying for the highest quality mental health care.

Is therapy worth it?

100%. We know this both from the therapists we work with and through our own experience as therapy consumers. But you don’t have to take our word for it. There’s plenty of research that backs the benefits of therapy. Take a look!

• Combat depression. This meta-analysis shows that cognitive behavioral therapy (better known as CBT) is highly effective in treating depression, especially for people with physical symptoms.
• Heal from trauma. Similarly, studies have shown that EMDR, a type of therapy often used with trauma survivors, can help reduce both the psychological and physical symptoms associated with traumatic life events. 
• Calm anxiety. This systematic review suggests that acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) can help treat all kinds of anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety, social anxiety, and more. Yes, please!
•  Improve your relationships. Therapy can also help you feel more connected to the people in your life. Research shows that emotionally-focused couples therapy (EFCT) improves relationship satisfaction and that those outcomes last even when your time in therapy ends.

Ready to invest in your mental health? Find your Best Therapist today.

Your soulmate therapist is out there, and we want to help you find them. Our San Diego therapists are fully vetted, trauma-informed, and have current openings (!). Plus, many offer online therapy so you can get support no matter where in California you’re located.

Find your soulmate therapist today!