How Much Does Therapy Cost in Calgary?

• Designation. Psychologists usually charge more than counsellors or social workers, which is why our psychologists and Canadian Certified Counsellors have different standard fees.
• Service. Longer sessions and assessments are priced differently from standard therapy. At Supporting Wellness, couples sessions cost the same as a regular 50-minute session.
• The clinician. Some clinicians choose to charge less or offer a sliding scale.
• Specialized training. Some approaches require extensive additional training.
• Session length. Most sessions run 50 minutes, and longer ones cost more.

The Psychologists' Association of Alberta publishes a recommended fee schedule that many psychologists use as a reference point.

An ADHD assessment or a psychoeducational assessment involves interviews, testing, scoring and a written report, often spread over several appointments. That adds up to many hours of a psychologist's time, so assessments are priced as a package rather than per session. Ask for a quote before you book.

Most extended health plans include psychological services, usually as a percentage of each session up to an annual maximum. For example, a plan that pays 80 percent up to $1,000 a year would cover $188 of a $235 session, leaving you $47, until the $1,000 runs out after about five sessions. Your own plan will differ, so check three things:

• The annual maximum for psychological or mental health services.
• The percentage covered per session.
• Which designations are eligible: registered psychologists only, or also provisional psychologists, social workers and counsellors.

If you and your spouse both have benefits, the second plan can often pay part of what the first does not.

Without direct billing, you pay the full fee at every appointment and wait for your insurer to reimburse you. With direct billing, the clinic submits the claim while you are there and you pay only the portion your plan does not cover. For someone attending weekly, that is the difference between fronting hundreds of dollars a month and paying a small balance.

Supporting Wellness direct bills many insurers, including Alberta Blue Cross, Canada Life, Sun Life, Manulife, Greenshield, Desjardins, Equitable Life, Industrial Alliance, Medavie Blue Cross and NIHB. If a claim cannot go through directly, you pay and we give you a detailed receipt to submit yourself. The full list is on our direct billing and insurance page.