How Much Does Therapy Cost in Boulder, CO?
Takeaway: Starting therapy is a courageous decision for your mental health. While there are many factors to consider when choosing a therapist, cost is one important consideration. In this post, we’ll break down how much therapy costs in Boulder, CO (and why the investment is worth it) so you can make an informed decision about your care.
Navigating the financial side of mental health support can be discouraging and complicated. You've probably wondered if counseling fits in your budget. When seeking counseling services, there is a lot to consider. Will you pay a full fee out of pocket? Will insurance cover treatment wholly or partially? Do you qualify for a sliding scale? Should you see someone in private practice or seek services from community clinics? Is therapy even worth it?
This post aims to offer some clarity on navigating the payment landscape of mental health services in Boulder and answer questions about the value of treatment.
Everything you need to know about the cost of therapy in Boulder, CO
There are many options for finding counseling services within your budget or your health insurance plans in Boulder.
Many factors can influence the cost of counseling, like hourly fees, clinician experience/expertise, length of treatment, insurance coverage, and health care providers' values around affordability and accessibility.
You may be worried about whether you can afford therapy services in Boulder. Therapy can be an investment, but there are options for finding something that works for you and your wallet.
Below, we explore all these factors to help you decide if therapy is worth it for you and how to find services that fit your needs.
How much does therapy cost in Boulder?
Boulder Co is a health and wellness hub with lots of options. Boulder is home to private practice clinicians, group practices, specialty clinics, and community clinics. Some providers accept insurance, others don't. The good news is that the cost of medical care and mental health support should never be a surprise anymore.
Good Faith Estimate
A federal law called "The No Surprises Act" was recently passed and required health care service providers to give a "good faith estimate" to clients and patients before receiving care. This estimate should include hospital fees, medical tests, and any other medical service. If you are paying for things out of pocket, you are entitled to request a good-faith estimate from your provider. The good faith estimate will detail the total expected cost of all services.
Fees
Most Boulder therapists are very good about being upfront about their fees. You can always call and ask if the fee isn't stated on their website. The average out-of-pocket fee for therapy in Boulder is $140 per session. However, there is a wide range of fees for services with a licensed professional counselor or graduate intern.
Here is a helpful table to break down out-of-pocket costs for different counseling services. Note: These session fees reflect trends in Boulder.
| One-hour individual session with a graduate intern | $0-$70 |
| One-hour individual session with a licensed professional counselor that provides a sliding scale | $30-$100 |
| One-hour individual session with a licensed professional counselor self-payment | $100-200 |
| One-hour individual session with a specialty service like EMDR or Neuro Feedback | $100-$275 |
| One-hour couples therapy session with a graduate intern | $50-$100 |
| One-hour couples session with a licensed professional counselor | $100-$250 |
Therapy with Graduate Interns
Many community clinics, university-based clinics, and some group practices offer counseling with graduate-level interns. This service is often discounted or even free. That doesn't necessarily mean that interns provide lower-quality therapy. A graduate intern service provider undergoes extensive training, is supervised by clinicians with years of experience, and has logged many hours of practice. Depending on the type of therapy you want and need, receiving services from a graduate intern may be a great and affordable option.
If this interests you, Naropa University in Boulder, CO has created the Naropa Community Counseling Clinic. They offer affordable counseling with interns and pre-licensed therapists. They also accept Medicaid.
Sliding Scale Therapy
Many therapists offer sliding scale spots on their caseload. These often fill up quickly, but it is worth asking about. Lunasa Counseling and Wellness in Boulder prides itself on offering affordable and accessible services. Reach out to inquire about our sliding scale spots.
Another excellent resource for finding affordable services is Open Path Collective. This is a non-profit that links folks needing affordable counseling with therapists who have sliding-scale openings. Their fee range is between $40-$70 for individual sessions.
A Note About Online Therapy in Boulder
Online therapy often costs the same as in-person counseling. You may be able to find virtual services for cheaper with a counselor who only does online therapy. This is because the costs of running their business may be lower if the provider can work from home. Online therapy is effective and can be easier to fit into a busy schedule or access in rural areas.
Is therapy usually covered by insurance?
Your insurance company may cover therapy. However, insurance plans have their own set of rules for what therapists you can see, what mental health issues are covered, and how many sessions are covered. Some companies may require a referral from a primary care physician. Some therapists work directly with the insurance company; others are considered out-of-network. You can find therapists in your network either by working with your insurance company or using a therapist directory and filtering the search only to include therapists that accept your insurance.
Some of our favorite directories are TherapyDen and Psychology Today.
A Note About Medicaid
If you have Medicaid, therapists are not allowed to accept self-payment from you. They can be fined for this. Remember to disclose if you have Medicaid when looking for a therapist.
Benefits of Working Independently From Insurance
There are some benefits of working independently from your insurance company. Typically, people have more freedom in designing their therapeutic process when paying out of pocket.
Here are some of the benefits of working outside your insurance plan.
Finding a Good Fit
Working independently allows you to pick whatever therapist you want. You might be interested in a particular style, specialty, or modality. Sometimes, it's challenging to find a therapist that resonates with you when working off an insurance list of pre-approved mental health care providers. Additionally, if your provider is not a good fit, you have the freedom to switch.
Finding Support
Many folks want to attend counseling for normal but difficult life experiences that don't necessarily require a diagnosis. Some insurance companies don't cover therapy for all concerns, especially if a primary care physician can't diagnose them.
Many people need counseling for challenging life transitions, self esteem, chronic pain, and relationship difficulties. Working outside insurance policies allows you to seek care when you know it is important. There are many mental health benefits of receiving counseling for things that are important to you that don't fit neatly in a diagnosis or insurance plan.
Having Control Over Treatment Duration
Plenty of health insurance plans set a limit on the amount of sessions that are covered for each mental health concern. Some insurance companies cover unlimited sessions. Others may limit session quantity to 8-20 visits. This can leave people in a cycle of switching therapists when they don't want to and feeling like they didn't receive all the care they need.
Flexible Scheduling
Finding a therapist on your own allows you flexibility in scheduling in-person or online. It is also easier to find practitioners that fit your schedule.
Option for Superbills
Your insurance company may accept superbills. A Superbill is a document created by an out-of-network provider that details services you have received and the cost. Some insurance companies will reimburse you for health care fees you have paid for out-of-pocket and out-of-network. Some companies will just apply the total to your deductible.
Talk to your insurance company to see if you have out-of-network benefits and to see if you need prior authorization. This is an excellent option if you have insurance and still want to work with a therapist of your choosing. Lunasa Counseling and Wellness provides superbills upon request.
Why is therapy so expensive?
Therapy in Boulder is an investment and often expensive. While there are ways to find more affordable counseling, we recognize that cost is a significant concern for many folks. Here are some reasons why therapy can be pricey.
Training and Education
Licensed professional counselors require a Master's degree and many hours of additional training each year. Therapists often pay for this training themselves. Ongoing training allows us to best serve our clients and continue to stay up to date with the most current research and techniques.
You may pay more for a therapist trained in a specialty like trauma, mood disorders, or EMDR. Their fee often includes related costs to staying certified in a specialty and ongoing education.
Local Markets
The prices of therapy vary widely by location. Therapists often charge a standard market value for the area they practice in. This is based on what people in the area can afford. Cities with a lot of wealth tend to be more expensive. If you live in a wealthy area, like Boulder, and find the rates too high, consider finding care in a neighboring town or finding online counseling with a provider that lives in a more affordable area. Usually, you have to stay within state lines as therapists must be certified in their client's state.
Cost of Business
The cost of running a business is a significant factor in the cost of treatment. In privileged areas, the cost of operating is higher. One of the most significant expenses for therapists is office space. If rent is high in the area, so is office space. Health care providers must also purchase HIPAA-compliant software that protects your privacy and confidentiality, liability insurance, consultation/supervision, and licensure/certification fees.
Is therapy worth it?
You may be wondering if therapy is worth the investment of time and money. It can be hard to commit to counseling without being sure of the outcome. You may be nervous to share private information with someone you don't know. It can also be hard to admit that you need support, or you may feel you should be able to fix your problems independently. Whether you are struggling to deal with everyday life stress or are trying to overcome trauma, a licensed professional counselor could help.
We will explore the potential benefits of treatment and reasons you may want to hold off on seeking support.
Six reasons why the cost of mental health care is worth it
Seeking treatment with a counselor has many mental health benefits. Research continually shows that therapy is supportive in many ways. Studies show that 75% of people who engage in therapy services report benefits.
Here are some reasons investing in yourself is worth it.
To Treat Mental Health Conditions
Mental health care providers are highly trained in treating mental health diagnoses like anxiety, depression, and trauma. While prescription drugs can be supportive, the research indicates that counseling is as effective as prescription drugs and, when used together, can improve outcomes (especially in cases of depression and anxiety).
Developing Coping Skills and Strategies
You don't know what you don't know. Mental health care providers have a massive kit of coping skills. They work intentionally to find the best ones for you and ways to tailor them to your unique experience. Incorporating some coping skills into your routine helps you take care of yourself long-term, reduce stress, and shifts your daily experience of challenges.
Change Harmful Behaviors
Humans do lots of things that aren't good for us. Whether you struggle with substance use, self-harm, perfectionism, anger, or workaholism, a provider can help you work on these unhelpful patterns that bring suffering into your life.
Increase Self-Awareness
The therapeutic process helps you look at the big picture and understand yourself better. Your unique experience has brought you to where you are. Understanding this process helps cultivate compassion and provides insight on how to heal.
Improved Physical Health
The body and the mind are connected, no matter how hard we try to separate them. Tending to your mental wellbeing results in better physical health. Treatment often results in lower blood pressure, improved sleep, a stronger immune system, reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, and increased physical activity.
Better Functioning
Your mental state may be getting in the way of feeling productive or being able to complete the requirements for a functional life. Therapy can result in increased function with work, school, family, adulting, and relationship issues.
When it might be time to hold off on therapy
While we know that attending counseling has many mental health benefits, it's possible that it might not be the right time. Here are some reasons you may want to hold off.
Unable to Attend Regulary
The therapeutic process is best supported with consistency. While a session every now and then can be supportive, results are best when you can attend weekly or bi-weekly. If it is hard to fit into your schedule, you may want to wait for a time when you can really commit to the process.
When You're Not Ready
Therapy works best when the client is invested. Therapy can be hard work and even painful at times. It's OK if you aren't ready for this. Investing in therapy fully requires some willingness to make changes, face challenges, and shift perspectives.
You Don't Necessarily Need It
Life is stressful! There are lots of ways to improve your mental welnness on your own. If you're not sure if you need services, try some other strategies first. Exercise, socializing, meditation, improved diet, creativity, and being in nature are all effective methods of increasing well-being. Try these first, and then decide if you need outside support.
It's OK if now is not the right time to start treatment. ThOKe are many alternative ways to support yourself. Here is a helpful article to get you started.
Put yourself first with therapy in Boulder, CO.
Lunasa Counseling and Wellness in Boulder specializes in complex trauma and offers therapy for various concerns, including anxiety, depression, grief, suicidal thoughts, self-esteem, relationship issues, family concerns, substance abuse, and stress.
We use an integrative approach that is nervous system based and trauma-informed/focused. Our modalities include person centered, mindfulness, self-compassion, IFS, and somatic approaches.
We are open and affirming to all identities and lifestyles. While are doors are open to all folks, we often serve clients who are in the queer umbrella, fat-identified, non-monogamous, or female-identified.
While we are located in Boulder, we serve folks from all over the front range and offer online therapy to people residing anywhere in Colorado.
If you are interested in our services reach out to schedule a free 20 minute consultation session.