Mental health · Paying for care
First Therapy Appointment Cost: Intake & Session Fees
Explore a first therapy appointment with no insurance required. Compare published intake fees, session length and the separate cost of ongoing care.
On this page
The short answer
- Strive in Alabama: $150 for a 60-minute intake or $225 for 90 minutes.
- Haven in Florida: $225 for an individual intake.
- UCF’s Orlando training clinic: $50 intake, with screening and possible waits; later sessions have separate fees.
- Check who provides the intake, what it includes and the rate for ongoing therapy.
Check duration before comparing first-visit fees
These examples show distinct first-visit structures. They are not estimates of how many appointments you personally need.
| Practice / location | Published price | Scope and comparison limits |
|---|
Use the first visit to discuss needs and fit
NIMH recommends discussing a therapist’s approach, experience and proposed treatment goals. Ask what the intake covers, what information to bring and whether the person conducting the assessment will provide ongoing care.
Tell the practice whether you seek individual, couples or another type of therapy. Ask if a later referral would mean another intake fee. A brief consultation call, full assessment and ongoing session are different appointments.
Sources: Psychotherapies — NIH · National Institute of Mental Health (source opens in a new tab)
Leave knowing the next step and its price
Ask how goals, likely appointment cadence and progress reviews will be agreed. Discuss scheduling and budget constraints before committing to a recurring arrangement. Confirm cancellation deadlines and whether communication outside sessions is billed.
For virtual care, confirm eligibility where you will physically be during the appointment, plus the practice’s plan for a connection problem. Obtain instructions directly rather than assuming every platform handles interruptions identically.
What should I prepare before my first therapy appointment?
Write down what brought you to therapy, what you hope might change and any questions about the process. Ask which forms and records to bring, whether the appointment is in person or virtual and how much time to allow. You do not need to arrive with a diagnosis or a finished account of everything you want to discuss.
For a concrete example, UCF describes an informed-consent process, discussion of current concerns and history, and possible questionnaires at intake. Ask your own practice about its process and about privacy, confidentiality limits and communication outside sessions; one clinic’s process is not a universal template.
What should I know before agreeing to ongoing sessions?
Leave with answers about who will provide care, how goals will be discussed, the next appointment and its price, and how to raise concerns about fit. Ask whether a referral to someone else would require another assessment and payment.
For online sessions, test the required device and ask what to do if the connection fails. Discuss privacy where you will attend and confirm where you must be physically located for the clinician to provide care. Scheduling convenience should be considered alongside scope, fit and a sustainable budget.
Keep this handy
Four questions to take with you.
- How long is the intake and what does it cost?
- Will this be my ongoing therapist?
- How will we discuss goals and progress?
- What will later sessions cost?
You can use these questions with any practice. These guides do not provide appointments or collect payments.
Your next step
Explore care and published prices.
Use this guide to understand your options, then compare practice services. Confirm eligibility, availability and the final fee directly with the practice.
Common questions
Is a free consultation the same as a therapy intake?
Ask its purpose, length and scope. An introductory call may discuss availability or fit without being a full clinical assessment; confirm the next appointment and its price.
Will all later sessions cost the intake fee?
Not necessarily. Confirm the ongoing rate for your clinician, session type and duration before comparing a recurring care budget.
What if I cannot afford the intake or later appointments?
Ask about a reduced-fee assessment, supervised training clinics or referral options before paying. Confirm waiting times and the later session fee; a low intake rate alone does not establish your ongoing budget.
Will I need to repeat an intake if I change therapists?
Ask the receiving practice about record transfer, assessments and fees. Do not assume a previous intake payment covers a new professional’s evaluation.
Read the evidence
Sources & editorial status
Sources were checked on October 20, 2026. This is an OpenVisit Health editorial draft, not a personalized medical recommendation. Source organizations have not endorsed OpenVisit or reviewed this page.
How we researched prices and visit guidance
We use federal agencies, academic institutions and specialty societies for clinical and access guidance, and the named provider’s own public menu for prices. Each example keeps its location, service, patient status and published exclusions. Introductory offers, regular fees and reduced-fee programs remain labeled separately.
This is a selected comparison, not a national price survey, ranking or appointment directory. Unknown inclusions stay unknown; a price checked on the date above is not a guarantee that it remains available. Confirm an itemized written quote with the practice. If its quote differs from this guide, use the current quote and original source to resolve the difference.
AI tools assist research and drafting. Source authors and reviewers have not reviewed OpenVisit content. We publish after source and technical checks; independent clinician review is identified only when it has actually occurred.
- Psychotherapies (opens in a new tab)NIH · National Institute of Mental HealthClinical or federal patient education
- Therapy intake and session fees (opens in a new tab)Haven Psychology · Wesley Chapel, FloridaPractice-published prices · checked October 20, 2026
- Therapy pricing (opens in a new tab)Strive Mental Health · AlabamaPractice-published prices · checked October 20, 2026
- Psychology Clinic fees and first-visit process (opens in a new tab)University of Central Florida · Orlando, FloridaPublished prices · checked October 20, 2026