Therapy should fit your life — not break it.
Sliding scale pricing means therapy that adjusts to what you can afford. Not a discount. Not a handout. A fair price for real care.
What is sliding scale?
Sliding scale pricing is when a therapist adjusts their session fee based on what you can afford. If their standard rate is $150 but you can only manage $80, they may offer to see you at $80. It's not a sale. It's not a special program. It's a therapist choosing to make their services accessible to more people.
Not every therapist offers it. But many do — because they got into this work to help people, not just people who can pay full price.
How it works on Truer Therapy
You set your budget
During the questionnaire, we ask what you can manage per session. This is private — therapists don't see this number.
We include sliding scale therapists
If you toggle 'sliding scale available,' we match you with therapists who offer flexible pricing that fits your range.
You talk about it together
During your free consult or first session, you and your therapist agree on a rate that works. It's a conversation, not a transaction.
Why this matters
1 in 5 adults in the U.S. experience mental illness each year. Only 43% receive treatment. The #1 reason? Cost.
We believe healing shouldn't be a luxury. Sliding scale pricing is one way to close that gap — one session at a time.
Questions people ask
A note on honesty
Sliding scale works because people are honest. If you can afford the full rate, please pay it — this lets your therapist offer lower rates to people who genuinely can't. If you can't, say so. There's no shame in needing help. That's literally why therapy exists.
