Therapy Fees &

Sliding Scale in Los Angeles

Therapy is an investment into you and your wellness

 

Our Session Fees

Soft natural light through leaves, evoking the grounded approach of Nokdu Therapy's affirming care

The full fee for a 50 minute session varies with each individual therapist, please check their individual pages.

Contact us to schedule a 15-30 minute phone or video consultation where you can check to see if you and your therapist are a good fit.

Sliding Scale & Financial Accessibility

Nokdu Therapy is committed to dedicating a portion of our time to sliding scale services. These slots are reserved for people who are financially unable to afford the full fee. This as considered a part of our larger mission to strive for racial, gender, sexual, and disability justice. Please contact us to get more information. Please look below for more context regarding the fees.

If you are looking for psychotherapy, Telehealth or Telephone sessions are available for California residents only. This is due to federal regulations that require that therapists only offer psychotherapy services within the state they are licensed in.

A superbill/receipt can be provided if you want to use a PPO that has out-of-network benefits. You can confirm with your health insurance company whether they will reimburse out-of-network services.

Why We Don’t Take Insurance

Insurance companies often require many things of therapists who decide to work with third party payers. One expectation is that all clients must have a mental health diagnosis (often from a limited list of diagnoses determined by the insurance company) to be covered. Coverage is often temporary, or insurance companies will no longer cover services when the diagnosis is in remission, which makes it difficult for therapists to engage in the long-term, consistent work from which most clients would benefit. These requirements can place barriers for therapists in taking a preventative, non-pathological approach. 

Insurance companies also tend to reimburse therapists a very low amount (as low as $30 per session), and it is difficult to sustain a practice with these rates. It is a well known fact that insurance companies will reimburse therapists significantly less than other health care professions like medical doctors. There’s also a mountain of paperwork and bureaucratic processes that require hours of additional labor on a therapist’s part. This limits how many clients a therapist can take on, or can require an additional staff person who would need to be paid to do this work.

The limited coverage offered by insurance companies is unfortunately a reflection of larger society’s view that mental health is not a basic right for every individual.  Considering these structural barriers, we personally choose not to take insurance, and to instead offer sliding scale spots to meet people’s various financial needs. Sliding our fees down allows us to provide services at a more affordable cost without having to fulfill insurance companies’ many (often problematic) requirements.

Why Therapy Costs What It Does

Inspired by Melissa Lopez from Counseling for All Seasons, we endeavor to practice transparency regarding our fees. Many people may wonder about why the cost of therapy is set at $150-$250 per session in Southern California. Many people may have hesitated in taking the first step to initiate therapy because of the price. There will of course be therapists out there who are charging an exorbitant amount to make a lot of money. There is, however, a rhyme and reason to the fees for most therapists. So what is the logic behind setting this fee?

Cactus in an orange pot, a visual touchstone for Nokdu Therapy's warm and welcoming approach

Becoming a Therapist Costs Money

Many therapists go through several years of schooling to be able to do this work, and most have amassed a significant amount of student debt to do so. In addition, therapists must pay a lot of money for prerequisite courses, study materials, and exams to eventually become a licensed professional. Some also have to pay for a supervisor to be able to accumulate the hours to become licensed. Therapists must also pay to take a certain number of classes every few years, which also cost money. If you think about the amount people pay CPAs, paralegals, lawyers, and medical doctors for their time, the fee for a therapist may not come as much of a surprise. Therapy, however, is a feminized form of labor because it is associated with “talking about feelings”, which may cause us as a society to view it as a less valuable service. Of course in an ideal world, ALL of these services would be much more affordable and every person would have a right to these services regardless of their income. In the meantime, we resort to creative solutions to balance worker sustainability and consumer access.


Staying a Therapist Costs Money

Therapists have to pay for continuing education units to maintain their license and to stay updated on current, developing knowledge and approaches within the field. Additionally, therapists pay out of pocket to get trained, supervised, and certified in evidence-based approaches to best support clients. Just getting certified in EMDR, for example, costs approximately $4,000 (which doesn’t include the ongoing investment required to keep the certification).


 

Maintaining a Business Costs Money.

With the housing crisis in LA, rent is exorbitantly high. Most therapists are paying rent for their work space, which is sometimes just as expensive as (if not more than) the rent that is paid for living space. There are additional expenses like paying for utilities, websites, outreach materials, email memberships, documentation systems, and more. 


 

Insurance and Benefits

Therapists have a variety of insurances to pay for, such as liability insurance in the case that a therapist is taken to court. Nokdu is also committed to providing as many benefits to staff as possible. We prioritize providing stipends for health insurance, vacation days, 401k plans, and other benefits to staff. The fee helps us as a small business to provide a stable and sustainable environment for our team.


 

Extra Labor

Outside of the hours spent directly with a client, therapists also have to write notes on every session, maintain other documentation like treatment plans, manage communications like phone calls and emails, handle a budget, conduct outreach, do research on relevant issues for clients, and consult with other professionals to continue to refine their skills. Essentially, therapists need to charge more if they are only being paid for 25 hours of the 40 hours actually worked. Additionally, clients will of course cancel sessions, go on trips, and have other circumstances that arise, which will result in fewer paid hours for the therapist.


Free & Low-Cost Therapy Options

Nokdu Therapy hopes strives to provide sliding scale fees for those who need it. Inspired by AWARE, here are some things to consider when deciding whether to ask for sliding scale fees, and how much to ask for.

Fees lower than $150/session are for those without access to generational wealth to help pay living expenses, and for those unable or struggling to meet basic needs. People who need a fee below $80 may:

  • Receive public assistance

  • Support multiple dependents

  • Have limited savings

  • Are formerly incarcerated

  • Are undocumented

  • Work in sectors out of necessity that have been criminalized

  • Have significant debt that interferes with access to basic needs

  • Have limited access to generational wealth due to abuse and trauma

  • Have a chronic illness or disability that impacts ability to earn an income

  • Have no access to health insurance

  • Be under various other circumstances that limit access to a stable income.

Fees $150+/session are for those who are able to meet basic needs but have limited expendable income. Consider paying higher on the sliding scale if you:

  • Have few or no dependents

  • Have savings, investments, property, inherited money, or retirement accounts

  • Have the option to ask others for support (even if you don’t want to)

  • Travel for fun

  • Have high credit scores

  • Work part time by choice

  • Have potential earning power even if it’s not immediately apparent, because you are able bodied, have a college degree, have generational wealth, or because of your gender, race, etc.


More Readings on Sliding Scale & Economic Justice:

https://www.wortsandcunning.com/blog/sliding-scale

https://www.ridefreefearlessmoney.com/blog/2016/05/sliding-scale-1/


Sliding Scale Therapy Tips & Resources:

  • Ask therapists if they have a sliding scale spot available, and how low they can slide. 

  • The Open Path Collective is a directory of therapists with sliding scale spots available. Their therapists can bring their fee down as low as $30/session for members.

  • If you are a student, you can receive free or discounted therapy through your school.

  • Look for therapy practices/agencies/firms. These practices tend to be more affordable because multiple people are paying the fees to maintain the business. 

  • Look for sliding scale counseling centers (many of them are nonprofits and training centers for students and pre-licensed staff) that set the fee based on your income. Examples of these agencies include Entwine, Chinatown Service Center, or the Relational Center.

  • If you work for a company, look into getting services through an EAP program.

  • Use a directory to filter for therapists who do accept your insurance! Some options include:

    • Inclusive Therapists

    • Latinx Therapy

    • Therapy for Black Girls

    • National Queer Trans Therapists of Color network

    • Psychology Today

Frequently Asked Questions About Fees

  • Individual therapy sessions at Nokdu Therapy range from $190 to $250 per 50-minute session, depending on the therapist. Couples and polycule sessions are priced higher. For example, $250 per 50-minute session with some of our clinicians. Each therapist sets their own rate based on experience and training; you can find specific fees on individual therapist pages. Please contact us to ask about our sliding scale and pro bono short term therapy options as well.

  • o, Nokdu Therapy is not in-network with any insurance company. If you have a PPO plan with out-of-network mental health benefits, we provide a monthly superbill you can submit to your insurance for potential reimbursement. We chose to stay out-of-network so we don't have to require diagnoses, limit session counts, or meet other insurance requirements that often conflict with affirming, anti-oppression care.

  • A superbill is an itemized receipt of your therapy sessions that includes the codes your insurance company needs to process an out-of-network claim. You pay Nokdu directly for sessions, then submit your superbill to your PPO insurer for partial reimbursement. To know what to expect, call the member services number on your insurance card before starting therapy and ask: "What are my out-of-network mental health benefits, and what percentage do you reimburse for CPT code 90837?"

  • Yes. Nokdu Therapy holds a limited number of sliding scale spots for clients who cannot afford the full fee. Sliding scale slots open as therapist availability allows. Please mention your interest in your initial email, and we'll talk through what's available and what fee feels accessible for you.

  • Yes. Nokdu Therapy offers a pro-bono short-term therapy program of 4–8 sessions per person on a rolling basis, with priority given to QTIBIPOC folks. Spots are limited and depend on therapist availability. You can read more on our Free Short-Term Therapy page or ask about it during your free consultation.

  • Therapy fees in Los Angeles typically run $150–$250 per session because that rate has to cover more than the hour you're in session. Therapists are paying off graduate school debt, ongoing licensure costs, continuing education, liability insurance, office or telehealth platform fees, and unpaid administrative time (notes, treatment plans, consultations, outreach). For a private practice therapist, only about 25 of every 40 hours worked are paid client hours. Out-of-network rates also reflect that insurance reimbursement for therapists can be as low as $30 per session, which isn't sustainable for most clinicians.

  • Yes. Nokdu Therapy offers a free 20–30 minute phone or video consultation with the therapist you're interested in working with. The consultation is a chance to talk about what's bringing you in, hear how that therapist works, and decide together whether you're a good fit before committing to anything. You can request one by hitting the contact button, emailing info@nokdutherapy.com or calling (213) 394-2665.

  • We accept credit card, debit card, and HSA/FSA payments.

  • Yes. You can input your HSA and FSA information into the payment form like you would do for a debit or credit card. You can ask for more details in your free consult call!

  • Yes. Under the federal No Surprises Act, you have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate of expected costs for your therapy services. If you're paying out of pocket (without using insurance), Nokdu will provide this estimate in writing at least one business day before your first session. If you receive a bill that exceeds your Good Faith Estimate by $400 or more, you can dispute it. Learn more at cms.gov/nosurprises.

  • We have a 48 hour cancellation policy at Nokdu Therapy. In the same ways that we strive to make therapy financially accessible for clients, we also value creating a financially stable work environment for our staff. If you require accommodations around the 48 hour cancellation policy, you can request to create an agreement with your therapist that meets everyone’s needs.

Your Good Faith Estimate Rights

You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your medical care will cost. Under the law, health care providers need to give patients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the bill for medical items and services. You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency items or services. Make sure your health care provider gives you a Good Faith Estimate in writing at least 1 business day before your medical service or item. You can also ask your health care provider, and any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule an item or service. If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill. Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate. For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises.