How Much Does Therapy for Loneliness Cost?

What Does Therapy for Loneliness Cost Per Session?

$100–$250

Therapy for loneliness is priced the same as general individual psychotherapy — because loneliness does not have its own billing code, sessions are billed under the same psychotherapy CPT codes used for any talk therapy. What makes the total cost distinctive is which therapy type you pursue, how many sessions you need, and how your insurance handles the underlying diagnosis your therapist documents.

Several factors shape what you actually pay per session:

Therapist credentials. Licensed clinical social workers (LCSWs) and licensed professional counselors (LPCs) typically charge $100 to $180. Psychologists (PhD or PsyD) charge $150 to $250 or more. Masters-level counselors in community settings often charge less.

Location and format. In-person sessions in major cities run $175 to $300+. Telehealth can expand your options and often costs $100 to $200 per session — sometimes less through online platforms. Rural areas tend toward the lower end of the range.

Therapy type. Group therapy runs substantially less than individual therapy, and for loneliness specifically, group formats carry their own therapeutic advantage: the direct experience of connection.

50%

Source: U.S. Surgeon General Advisory on Loneliness and Isolation, 2023

Cost by Therapy Type for Loneliness

Loneliness responds best to therapies that address both the internal patterns (cognitive distortions about rejection, avoidance behaviors, attachment wounds) and the external reality of social connection. Here is what each major approach costs.

CBT for Loneliness

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is the most evidence-backed approach for the cognitive patterns that sustain loneliness — negative assumptions about social situations, mind-reading, fortune-telling, and the withdrawal cycle these thoughts produce. A typical course runs 12 to 20 sessions.

At $150 per session for 16 sessions, you are looking at roughly $2,400 before insurance. With in-network coverage, copays bring that down to $320 to $1,200. CBT is also available in shorter, skills-focused formats that address loneliness as part of broader social anxiety or depression treatment, which can reduce total session count. For more on what CBT costs overall, see our CBT cost guide.

Group Therapy for Loneliness

Group therapy deserves special attention here because it serves a dual purpose: it is simultaneously the treatment and the medicine. While individual therapy talks about connection, group therapy provides the direct experience of it — being heard by peers, discovering others share your struggles, and building the capacity for vulnerability in a real social setting.

At $30 to $80 per session, group therapy for loneliness costs a fraction of individual therapy. A 16-session group program totals $480 to $1,280. Process groups, social skills groups, and support groups focused on specific life circumstances (grief, divorce, relocation) are all effective options.

Research consistently shows that group therapy is as effective as individual therapy for most conditions, and the interpersonal practice it provides is uniquely suited to loneliness. If cost is a significant barrier, group therapy is the single most efficient option for this particular concern.

Person-Centered Therapy

Person-centered therapy addresses loneliness from a different angle: the therapeutic relationship itself becomes a corrective experience. For people whose loneliness is rooted in a belief that they are not worthy of connection, experiencing unconditional positive regard from a therapist can begin to challenge that belief at a deep level.

Person-centered therapy tends to be open-ended rather than time-limited, which means costs can accumulate over 16 to 30 or more sessions. Per-session rates are similar to other individual therapy ($100 to $220), but the longer duration makes the total higher. It is best suited to loneliness that feels chronic, identity-level, or rooted in relational wounds.

Interpersonal Therapy (IPT)

Interpersonal Therapy is a structured, time-limited approach designed specifically to improve relationship functioning. It focuses on grief, role transitions, interpersonal disputes, and social skill deficits — all of which can contribute to loneliness. A standard course runs 12 to 16 sessions, making it comparably priced to CBT.

IPT has strong evidence for loneliness associated with depression, relationship loss, or major life transitions (retirement, divorce, relocation). If your loneliness is primarily situational — triggered by a specific life change — IPT may reach the core issue more efficiently than broader approaches.

Online Therapy Platforms

Subscription-based platforms like BetterHelp, Talkspace, or Cerebral offer weekly therapy plus unlimited messaging at roughly $60 to $100 per week ($240 to $400 per month). For loneliness in particular, the messaging feature can reduce daily isolation between sessions, though it does not substitute for in-person or video connection. Research supports online therapy as effective for the social anxiety and depression that frequently accompany loneliness.

Total Treatment Cost: What to Expect

Your total out-of-pocket cost depends on how chronic and complex your loneliness is, which therapy type you use, and your insurance situation.

Situational Loneliness

Loneliness triggered by a specific life change — a move, job change, divorce, retirement, or loss — often resolves in 12 to 20 sessions once you have processed the transition and started building new social connections.

• Best case (in-network insurance): 16 sessions at a $30 copay = $480
• Middle range (out-of-network with reimbursement): 16 sessions at $160, with 60% reimbursement after a $500 deductible = roughly $1,530 out of pocket
• Private pay (no insurance): 16 sessions at $160 = $2,560

Chronic Loneliness

Loneliness that has persisted across different life circumstances, relationships, and locations often signals deeper patterns — cognitive distortions about social worth, attachment wounds, or social anxiety — that require more sustained work. Expect 20 to 40+ sessions of individual therapy, potentially combined with group therapy for ongoing social practice.

Adding 16 group sessions at $50 each ($800) to 24 individual sessions at $160 ($3,840) brings total private-pay costs to roughly $4,640. Insurance can bring this down substantially.

Insurance Coverage for Loneliness Therapy

One important nuance: loneliness is not a DSM-5 diagnosis. Insurers require a documented medical diagnosis to cover sessions. In practice, this is rarely a barrier — most people experiencing significant loneliness meet criteria for at least one diagnosable co-occurring condition. Your therapist will document whichever diagnosis most accurately reflects your clinical picture:

• Major Depressive Disorder (F32.x / F33.x) — depression and loneliness co-occur in more than 40 percent of cases
• Social Anxiety Disorder (F40.10) — fear of rejection and social withdrawal that drives isolation
• Adjustment Disorder (F43.2x) — when loneliness is tied to a specific life transition
• Other Specified Depressive Disorder (F32.89) — for clinically significant depressive symptoms that do not meet full MDD criteria

These are legitimate diagnoses, not workarounds. If you are experiencing loneliness significant enough to seek therapy, you almost certainly meet criteria for at least one of them. Once a valid diagnosis is documented, standard psychotherapy CPT codes apply and your mental health benefits kick in.

What You Pay with Insurance

• In-network copay: $20 to $75 per session
• In-network coinsurance: 10% to 30% after your deductible
• Out-of-network: Full fee upfront, then submit a superbill for 50% to 80% reimbursement after your out-of-network deductible

For a detailed walkthrough of how insurance works for therapy, see our insurance coverage guide.

How to Make Therapy for Loneliness More Affordable

If cost is a barrier to getting help, several practical options can reduce what you pay.

Start with group therapy. At $30 to $80 per session, group therapy for loneliness offers evidence-based treatment at a fraction of individual therapy costs — and the interpersonal practice may make it more effective for this specific concern. Many community mental health centers run low-cost or sliding-scale groups. See our guide to group therapy benefits for more.

Community mental health centers. These offer individual and group therapy on a sliding scale based on income, sometimes as low as $0 to $20 per session. Wait times vary, but many now offer telehealth options that improve access.

University training clinics. Graduate programs in psychology and counseling offer therapy at $10 to $50 per session with closely supervised trainees. Many provide CBT and interpersonal approaches well-suited to loneliness.

Online therapy platforms. At $60 to $100 per week, platforms like BetterHelp and Talkspace offer accessible entry points, particularly for people whose loneliness is exacerbated by geographic or mobility barriers.

Sliding scale fees. Many private practice therapists offer reduced rates based on financial need. This is always worth asking about directly — a brief, honest conversation about your budget can open options that are not advertised.

Open Path Collective. This nonprofit connects people with therapists who offer sessions at $30 to $80. Many practitioners specialize in loneliness, social anxiety, and relational concerns.

Use your HSA or FSA. Therapy sessions qualify as a medical expense for Health Savings Accounts and Flexible Spending Accounts. Paying with pre-tax dollars reduces your effective cost by your marginal tax rate — typically 22% to 32%.

Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs). Most employer EAPs provide 3 to 8 free therapy sessions. While not enough for a full course of treatment, EAP sessions can cover the initial assessment and early work while you arrange longer-term coverage.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Bottom Line

Therapy for loneliness typically costs $100 to $250 per session for individual treatment, or $30 to $80 per session for group therapy. A complete course of treatment ranges from roughly $480 (in-network group therapy) to $5,000+ for longer-term individual work without insurance. Most people with significant loneliness have co-occurring conditions that qualify for standard insurance benefits, making real-world out-of-pocket costs much lower.

The more important question is not the per-session rate but whether the underlying patterns get addressed. Untreated chronic loneliness is associated with cardiovascular disease, immune dysfunction, cognitive decline, and significantly reduced life expectancy. The cost of inaction is real. Whether you start with a community group, an EAP session, or a private therapist, getting started matters more than finding the perfect arrangement.

For a deeper look at how therapy actually helps with loneliness — the mechanisms, the approaches, and what to expect — see our guide: Therapy for Loneliness: How Professional Help Can Break the Cycle.

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