“What am I getting myself into?”
The decision to see a counsellor is rarely an easy one. Unfortunately, it is often a traumatic experience, an illness, or the presence of concerning symptoms that lead someone to see a therapist. Feeling vulnerable and seeking out professional help takes courage—and it costs time, effort, and money. Therefore, many factors need to be taken into account.
While therapy can be costly, it’s also worth thinking about the price we pay if we don’t see a counsellor and instead carry on as before. How much longer can we live with experiences that gradually make us more anxious, exhausted, and unhappier?
How much does it cost?
|
Intake Appointment (75 minutes) |
€ 150.00 |
|
Individual Counselling (60 minutes) |
€ 125.00 |
|
EMDR Therapy (60 minutes) |
€ 150.00 |
|
Couple’s/Family Session (60 minutes) |
€ 180.00 |
|
Group Therapy (4-6 participants) |
€ 60.00 per 60 minutes per person |
|
Other services that you may need or request, such as third party phone calls, contact with lawyers and other legal parties, preparation of records, progress reports, or treatment summaries |
€ 200.00 per 60 minutes or € 50.00 per 15 min |
|
Testimony in Court (half-day) |
€ 1200.00 |
|
Testimony in Court (full-day) |
€ 2400.00 |
|
Consultation/Corporate Services (half-day) |
€ 600.00 |
|
Consultation/Corporate Services (full-day) |
€ 1200.00 |
Payment
Coverage through the public health care system is not available for sessions with an alternative practitioner (‘Heilpraktiker für Psychotherapie’), and coverage through a private health care plan is not always included in the plan. Therefore, clients must always pay for their sessions in advance out of their own pocket.
Invoices are issued on the day of the session and payment must be made by direct bank transfer by the given due date. The fee is to be paid in full by the client, irrespective of the outcome of counselling or therapy, any insurance benefits and/or subsidy payments.
Insurance Coverage
Partial reimbursement by a private insurance company may be possible if both:
- the services of an alternative practitioner for psychotherapy (‘Heilpraktiker für Psychotherapie’) are included in your private health care plan; and
- a diagnosis according to ICD-10 is specified on the invoice.
If both conditions apply, you will likely get reimbursed for some of your expenses when you submit your receipts to the insurance company.
However, reimbursements from private health insurance are generally limited to the rates of the 1985 fee schedule for alternative practitioners. Differences between the amounts from the fee schedule and the contractually agreed fee must be covered by the client.
Also, you may claim the costs of psychotherapy as an extraordinary expense on your tax return. To this end, you must obtain a form from your local Health Department (‘Gesundheitsamt’) prior to beginning your treatment sessions.
You can then submit this form to the Tax Authorities (‘Finanzamt’) when filing your taxes. If this form was not obtained prior to treatment and does not include a diagnosis, extraordinary expenses are unlikely to be accepted by the tax authority.
Something to consider
In order to get your costs reimbursed, insurance companies usually want to see an ICD-10 diagnosis on the invoice. This can be a problem, if
- a client does not want to be diagnosed;
- the symptoms don’t qualify (yet) for a diagnosis (symptoms don’t match the ‘required’ ICD-10 criteria), or
- a client does not want a diagnosis to be shared with an insurance company.
It is therefore advisable to check with your insurance company prior to booking an appointment if they require a diagnosis for reimbursement and if so, whether this is a good option for you.
On the upside
In the case that you (have to) cover the costs yourself, there are some advantages:
- free choice of therapist
- no disclosure of personal data (e.g. diagnosis or treatment plan) to insurance companies and employers
- often shorter wait times for intake appointment
Booking an appointment
You can book an appointment via the EasyPractice booking tool.
For your first appointment, you can book either a 15-minute consultation or an ‘Intake Appointment’. You will then receive a confirmation email and, if you booked an intake appointment, you will also receive an intake form within the next working day.
During the first appointment we will review the information you have provided, discuss some of your questions, and together, work to create a treatment plan that is right for you.
Sometimes, the first step is the hardest, but…
“… if you’ve come this far,
maybe you’re willing to come a little further.”
(Shawshank Redemption)
