As a client, when you self-pay for therapy, you have the freedom to choose a therapist whose approach aligns with your goals and values - and one that you connect with. The research continues to tell us that feeling connected & bonded to your therapist has the most significant impact on therapeutic outcomes.

This flexibility also allows you to prioritize your mental health in a way that feels empowering and aligned with your needs, free from the regulated requirements for coverage. Some insurances will only cover specific forms of therapy, interventions & number of sessions while requiring ongoing proof of necessity.

As a therapist, choosing to be a private pay practice allows me to focus entirely on building expertise on the things proven to make therapy the most effective and tailor care to each client’s unique needs. Fewer constraints from insurance guidelines and less time spent on administrative insurance tasks, allows me to provide care that truly meets your individual needs, including different techniques, longer or more frequent sessions if necessary, without being limited by what insurance deems “medically necessary.”

As a client, there are many benefits to choosing a private pay practice!

+ With a private pay practice, you have the freedom to select a therapist whose approach and personality align with your values, and one who you feel the most connected to.

+ Not only does this give you more control over choosing what’s best for you, this ensures a strong connection, which is essential for the therapeutic progress.

+ It allows for customized treatment that isn’t dictated by insurance policies. Whether you need longer sessions, more frequent visits, or a specific therapeutic approach, you and your therapist decide what’s best for you.

+ As a private pay therapist, I’m not bound by the limitations and guidelines of insurance, enabling me to provide the highest level of care. My focus is solely on you, not on meeting external requirements.

+ Additionally, you avoid the delays and complications of waiting on insurance approvals, meaning you can start therapy right away and maintain consistent, uninterrupted care.

+ Unlike insurance-driven therapy, which often requires a diagnosis to approve treatment, self-pay therapy focuses on your goals, personal growth, and well-being without needing to fit into predefined categories.

+ Therapy with an expert self-pay therapist equips you with tools, insights, and strategies that create lasting change. It’s not just about addressing today’s challenges—it’s about building a life where you can thrive.

Yes! If individual therapy doesn’t fit your budget yet, therapy groups are an excellent option. They are usually a lower weekly cost than individual therapy and still provide the benefits of connection with others, opportunities to learn, gaining new perspectives and deeper understanding, and support.

(And as your therapist talking - joining a therapy group is a great way to start prioritizing your own needs and committing to your own care - which is always the work. 😉)

As a private pay practice, I’m also able to facilitate groups that provide specialized content and materials that are tailored to your unique needs and experiences. It allows me to create warm, safe and therapeutic environments with the extra comforts that set the group up for success.

You can find more information on open enrollment periods and start dates for groups here.

With all of the benefits listed above, I’m also very aware of and passionate about the limitations that self pay and insurance have on access to mental healthcare. My efforts to advocate for the necessity of therapy and access to it are ongoing. Creating a practice that allows me to optimally care for myself, and therefore my clients, allows me to continue offering therapy groups & therapist support groups, as well as free additional resources.

Choosing to be a self pay practice ensures that my needs are met and that I am able to provide the utmost care for my clients. I’m only as good to my clients as I am able to care for myself.

Using a platform like Mentaya to assist clients in filing out of network benefits is an additional effort to bridge some of the gap in access to care.