Therapy is helping people—but uncertainty around continuing to be able to afford it creates anxiety and has led some to discontinue treatment, a new Verywell Mind survey of 1000 American adults in therapy found.
Eight of 10 people in the Cost of Therapy Survey felt that therapy was a good investment. But even those whose care was covered in part by insurance reported concerns about continuing to afford it. Almost 40% needed some form of financial assistance to attend therapy, underscoring that cost remains a barrier to therapy, even for those who can afford to start it in the first place.
Of those surveyed, a majority (62%) reported needing to pay at least some out-of-pocket costs for their treatment. On average, those costs totaled $178 per month, even though most (71%) say their insurance covers at least some of the cost, and a third (36%) are getting help from Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) to contribute to the costs of therapy.
Thirty-eight percent said they required financial help from someone else to be able to afford therapy. And for some, costs have already affected their ability to attend therapy sessions. A third have canceled sessions due to out-of-pocket costs, 39% have reduced the frequency of sessions to reduce costs, and 31% temporarily stopped going to save money for other, larger expenses.
Read more:
- Cost Remains Significant Barrier to Therapy Access, Verywell Mind Survey Finds. Very Well Mind. May 2022