How Much Does Therapy Cost for Your Kid?

Mental health is crucial for leading a successful life. It determines how we think, act, and behave. And that being said for adults, know that it is even more relevant for kids. Research shows about 7.7 million kids and teens in the U.S. have at least one mental health issue.

Treatment for any mental health disorder is critical if your child has shown signs they may have one. But how much does teenage therapy cost? And what about for younger kids?

A psychotherapy (also called talk therapy) session will likely cost $50 to $150 per session without insurance and about $20 to $50 with insurance, according to thervo. However, the price can vary and some sessions can run $250 or more. This all depends on the sessions booked, your location, and the kinds of supplemental materials needed—such as medication, books, emotional support pets, and more.

The good new is mental health therapies are less stigmatized than they once were making them easier to access. And telemedicine, which is often cheaper, is also more available after COVID-19.

Here is what families need to know about therapy for their kids and how to pay for it.

What Is Therapy for Kids and Teens?

Therapy helps children and teens manage symptoms of a mental health disorder. It can include a therapist, counselor, psychologist, or psychiatrist (only they can prescribe medication if needed) who works closely with your child.

Usually, mental health care is divided into different sessions: Some are twice a week, others weekly or monthly.

Every service has a different framework. On average, mental therapy can last for 12 weeks to years, depending on the patient's condition. A 12-week therapy set could cost around $1000, but also could be offset by health insurance reimbursements or provided by low-cost government-run or school-mandated services. Estimates may vary greatly.

Of course, mental disorders are not limited to children and adolescents. Stress, anxiety, depression, and nervousness can affect people of any age; after all, a divorce, a death, or a natural disaster can hit everybody in the family emotionally in different ways, and at different times. Moreover, every family member might have individual problems and stressors that could be helped by professional care.

Types of Counseling

There are various kinds of mental health therapies. Every child is different, so they might need a different kind or combo over time. The cost of therapies and treatments varies depending on the service, location, and health professional. Generally, providers may not share prices of such services upfront on their websites, so don't hesitate to ask about the potential for a sliding scale or payment plan.

Here is a quick cheat sheet of some therapies to consider when asking about possible costs for specific approaches:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). This is commonly used to treat mental health disorders for people of all ages. The goal of this talk therapy is to help patients unlearn negative behaviors and thoughts and adopt healthier ones.
• Applied behavior analysis (ABA). This a therapy typically used for children with autism. But it can be used in multiple ways. Psychologists often reward children by encouraging skills such as communication or language; conversely, harmful behaviors are discouraged.
• Art and music therapy. This refers to working with a certified therapist to make art: songs, drawings, painting, and multi-media work. This process stimulates different areas of the brain, relieves stress, minimizes depression, and improves confidence.
• Child-centered play therapy (CCPT). This is a play-based therapy in which children are engaged in a positive environment. The counselor develops an empathetic relationship with the child, forming a foundation for positive change.
• Child anger management therapy. This helps regulate emotions and behavior. Psychotherapists use various psychological techniques to help a child manage anger as well as hyper-reactive behaviors.
• Gender identity therapy. Gender or sexual identity issues can cause anxiety in children and teens, and may require hormonal or medical support systems further down the line. Some kids may be uncomfortable talking about safe intimacy or gender identity with their families. Gender identity therapy can allow your child to work with trained health professionals in order move towards a healthier relationship with their own body and their true, self-determined gender identity.
• Trauma-focused therapy. This is often necessary for children who have witnessed traumatic events such as the death of a loved one, abuse, or domestic violence. As psychologist Anthony Mannarino, MD, explained to the American Psychological Association, two thirds of American children experience trauma by the age of 16. With trauma-informed therapy, children can engage in productive, healing conversations with psychotherapists and learn to narrate, process, and move beyond the traumatic events.

Keep in mind, medication may also be recommended, in addition to therapy, if your child is seeing a psychiatrist. These have been found to be safe and effective for children and adolescents, although side effects are possible and they may different than ones adults experience.

Is Online Therapy Effective?

Since COVID-19, online therapy has become more in demand. It could be a good option for your child or teen. Research shows online therapy can be effective in treating depression and anxiety. There are websites that offer this, including BetterHelp and Talkspace, but many mental health professionals also offer virtual therapy too. Also, your insurance company may cover online therapy so make sure to inquire.

How To Pay for Your Child’s Therapy

Since therapy can be expensive, it's important to know everything available to families to pay for it.

See what insurance overs

If you have insurance, always call and see what they cover. They can also refer you to therapists that are covered.

If you have insurance, the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act supports you if your insurance company denies treatment or creates disproportionate barriers to care or reimbursement for substance abuse or mental health conditions.

Look at what your child's school offers

Some schools and school districts provide free counseling to students, so that's an option as well. For more information, ask your child's school parent-teacher association (PTA) or principal.

Similarly, mental health care services are included in most college and universities' required health care packages. Exhaust those possibilities before asking for care from a private physician, counselor, or therapist.

Use a sinking fund

A sinking fund is a great way to save money and create a budget for your children's mental health. If your family doesn't need mental health care now, create a fund where you can save a small amount every month for future needs. Then, whenever the need arises, you can withdraw the money and utilize it for the well-being of your family.

A sinking fund is different from a savings account, emergency fund, or college fund; it's a preplanned strategy for accumulating money for a specific purpose such as mental health care, car tire changes, or holiday gifts. This kind of savings fund allows you to consciously save a fixed amount every month, as a line item in every monthly budget. If you've never tried this before, consider Every Dollar to create and monitor your sinking fund online.

Also, remember that most health insurance plans reimburse for visits with a psychologist, psychiatrist, licensed counselor, and therapist—but they also ask for proper documentation of treatment and payment plans. They usually require doctor's notes to justify supplementals, such as medicine, learning tools, or herbal remedies. Therefore, ask your health care provider to provide everything in writing, so you will be able to recover your costs and replenish the fund.

Budget through tax-advantaged medical accounts

A health saving account (HSA) and flexible spending account (FSA) are tax-advantaged medical accounts. You can use these accounts for health expenses that your insurance plans usually don't cover.

One of their biggest advantages? You can make tax-free contributions to these accounts from your gross pay. Additionally, you can also create a dependent care flexible spending account, or DCFSA, to tackle your child's health expenses.

Things to note: you can't create both an HSA and FSA account in the same year, and you can only setup an FSA if you have an employer.

Find low-cost options

If you are looking for affordable mental health services, various resources provide sliding scales and flexible payment options:

• Contact the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) to connect with clinics
• Check the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) website
• Get in touch with Mental Health America to find free mental health care
• Sidecar Health, Open Path and Better Help leverage telemedicine to provide reasonable self-pay plans
• Find a federally qualified health care center near you
• Call the Center for Anxiety and Behavior Management
• Contact Healthwise for sexual identity issues
• Ask for a "good faith estimate" with the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia online
• Have a therapy session at Manhattan Mental Health Counseling online