How Much Does Therapy Cost in Tempe, Arizona? 2025 Guide

By Team TherapyRoute

Tempe, Arizona has free and low-cost therapy options alongside private practice. Costs depend on the provider's training, licence and setting. Public programmes and university clinics keep some fees fixed.

If you need help now, free crisis support is available in Arizona. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is free and confidential. It is available 24/7 by call, text or chat.² Arizona contacts are routed to the state provider, Solari.² La Frontera EMPACT also runs a free 24-hour crisis hotline on (480) 784-1500.³ Its mobile crisis team can be sent anywhere in Maricopa County, which includes Tempe.³

Quick summary

• Tempe has a low-cost teaching clinic and public Medicaid cover.
• The ASU Counselor Training Center is free to any Arizona college student.¹
• Mercy Care runs the AHCCCS behavioral health coverage for eligible residents of Maricopa County.
• Crisis help is free through 988 and La Frontera EMPACT.

What therapy costs in Tempe

Private practice fees vary with each provider. No citywide fee table can be verified, so the figures below come from published sources.

A low-cost clinic and public cover do publish set figures. The ASU Counselor Training Center is free to any Arizona college student. ASU faculty and staff pay $80 per semester.¹ General community members pay $100 per semester.¹

Two published public tariffs give you a benchmark for weighing a private quote. Under the 2026 Medicare fee schedule, the approved office-setting amount in Arizona is $112.94 for a 45-minute psychotherapy session and $165.67 for a 60-minute session.⁶ Arizona's Medicaid programme caps its fee-for-service payment at $113.25 for a 45-minute and $167.92 for a 60-minute session, effective October 2025.⁷ These are what public programmes pay providers, not private-practice prices.

Who can provide therapy in Tempe

Two Arizona boards license therapy providers.⁵ The Board of Psychologist Examiners licenses psychologists. The Board of Behavioral Health Examiners licenses counselors, family therapists, social workers and addiction counselors.¹¹

Psychiatrists are medical doctors and can prescribe medication. Arizona does not currently allow psychologists to prescribe medication.¹²

To weigh training, fees and fit, see our guide on how to find the right therapist.

Paying with insurance or Medicaid

Cover varies by plan, so check yours before you book. Ask whether your therapist is in your network. Ask what your share of each fee will be.

For Arizona Medicaid, Mercy Care runs the AHCCCS behavioral health coverage.⁴ It is available to eligible residents of Maricopa County, at no cost to eligible members.⁴ Its crisis services are available regardless of whether you are enrolled.⁴ AHCCCS members pay at most a nominal copay of a few dollars per visit, and people under 19 or with a serious mental illness designation pay nothing.¹⁰

Affordable care options

Tempe has several low-cost routes.

The City of Tempe runs its own counselling service for people without cover. It charges no more than $40 per session, on a sliding-fee scale based on family size and income.⁸ It serves people who live in Tempe, attend a school there, or have a child at a Tempe school.⁸

A second university clinic, the ASU Clinical Psychology Center, offers therapy with supervised doctoral trainees. Fees range from $20 to $95 per session on a sliding scale.⁹ The first session costs $25.⁹

The ASU Counselor Training Center offers weekly, low-cost sessions. They are run by counsellors-in-training under licensed supervision.¹ It covers concerns like depression, anxiety, relationships, family, career and life transitions.¹ Spanish-language sessions are available.¹

You can reach the centre on 480-965-5067.¹ It is in Payne Hall on the ASU Tempe campus.¹

For public cover, AHCCCS through Mercy Care may pay for your care if you qualify.

Ways to lower the cost

• Ask about a sliding scale, where clinics set fees by your income.
• Ask to see an associate or pre-licensed therapist under supervision, who often charges less.
• Consider group therapy, which usually costs less than one-to-one sessions.
• Check whether your employer offers an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) with free sessions.

Related cost guides

• Nearby cities: Phoenix, Mesa and Chandler.
• Statewide: therapy costs in Arizona.
• Countrywide: therapy costs across the US.

References

1. [1] ASU Counselor Training Center. cisa.asu.edu/sccp/counselor-training-center.
2. [2] 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (Arizona). azdhs.gov/988.
3. [3] La Frontera EMPACT-Suicide Prevention Center (EMPACT-SPC). lafronteraaz-empact.org/services.
4. [4] Mercy Care ACC-RBHA (Maricopa County public behavioral health authority). mercycareaz.org/acc-rbha/index.html.
5. [5] Arizona Board of Psychologist Examiners. psychboard.az.gov/about-board.
6. [6] CMS, Annual Physician Fee Schedule Payment Amount File, Calendar Year 2026, Arizona locality. cms.gov.
7. [7] AHCCCS FFS Program Capped Fee Schedule, Physician Fee Schedule - General Rates, effective 10/01/2025. azahcccs.gov.
8. [8] Counseling Services, City of Tempe, AZ. tempe.gov.
9. [9] Clinic fees, ASU Clinical Psychology Center, Department of Psychology, Arizona State University. psychology.asu.edu/clinic/fees.
10. [10] Copayments, AHCCCS member information. azahcccs.gov.
11. [11] Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners (BBHE). bbhe.az.gov.
12. [12] Arizona Revised Statutes §32-2061, Definitions (practice of psychology), Arizona State Legislature. azleg.gov/ars/32/02061.htm.