This guide helps you find a therapist in California, whether you have a private plan, Medi-Cal or no insurance at all. It covers who is allowed to treat you, how to check a license, what sessions cost and where to find low-cost care. Every fact comes from a public source listed at the bottom. Café Siller does not list, vet or recommend individual therapists.
If you are in crisis right now. Call or text 988 (the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline), at any hour. In an emergency, call 911. The full list of crisis lines is in the crisis help section.
How to find a therapist in California, step by step
Finding a therapist takes a few phone calls or emails. Start with the route that matches your situation.
- Decide which route fits. You may have a private plan, Medi-Cal, or no insurance. Each one leads to a different list of therapists.
- If you have a private plan, call the number on your card and ask for the behavioral health line. Ask for therapists in your network.
- If you have Medi-Cal, call your Medi-Cal plan and ask for a therapist for mild to moderate needs. For more serious needs, ask your county Mental Health Plan.
- If you have no insurance, start with a university training clinic or ask therapists about a sliding scale fee. Both are covered below.
- Pick three to five names. Check each license on the state lookup before you write to them.
- Send the same short message to all of them. A template is further down this page.
- Book the first person who answers and has a time you can keep. You can switch later if it is not a good fit.
Therapist, counselor, psychologist. Who can treat you in California?
In California, the Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) licenses four titles. Psychologists are licensed by a separate body, the California Board of Psychology.
| License | Who holds it | Which board |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT or MFT) | A fully licensed therapist | Board of Behavioral Sciences |
| Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) | A fully licensed therapist | Board of Behavioral Sciences |
| Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) | A fully licensed counselor | Board of Behavioral Sciences |
| Licensed Educational Psychologist (LEP) | A fully licensed educational psychologist | Board of Behavioral Sciences |
| Psychologist | Licensed as a psychologist | California Board of Psychology |
| Registered associate (AMFT, ASW, APCC) | A therapist still training under supervision | Board of Behavioral Sciences |
A registered associate must show a registration number, name their employer and say they are supervised by a licensed person. If you see "associate" in an advert, you can check that supervisor on the lookup below.
How to check a therapist's license in California
Both boards send you to one search tool, the DCA License Search. It shows whether a license is current, expired or disciplined.
You can reach it from the Board of Behavioral Sciences verification page or from the California Board of Psychology. Search the therapist's name and look for a current status and any discipline on record.
Online therapy in California. Can you see a therapist from another state?
A therapist who treats a client who is physically in California must hold a current California license or registration. Where you sit during the video call is what counts.
There are narrow exceptions. The Board of Behavioral Sciences allows a free temporary practice period for an out-of-state LMFT, LPCC or LCSW with a full license. It lasts one period of 30 consecutive days per calendar year. It applies only to an existing client who is travelling in California, and the therapist must tell you they are not California licensed.
Psychologists from other US jurisdictions or Canada can apply for a Temporary Out-of-State Psychologist License. It also covers 30 consecutive days per calendar year, and the board lists it as effective from 1 January 2026.
The interstate compacts do not change this yet.
- PSYPACT lets psychologists work across states. California is not on the list of states with final PSYPACT legislation, and the Board of Psychology says it is not part of PSYPACT.
- The Counseling Compact does not include California. Its page says privileges to practice are live only for licensees of Arizona, Minnesota and Ohio.
- The Social Work Licensure Compact does not list California either. Its site says multistate licenses are not yet being issued.
- No official compact for marriage and family therapists turned up in our checks.
How much does therapy cost in California?
A July 2026 cost guide puts California self-pay sessions at roughly $150 to $300, based on published practice rates. Examples include a San Francisco psychologist at $300 for 50 minutes and Pasadena and Los Angeles rates of $150 to $345. This guide comes from a cost-guide site, not a government source.
One large provider chain, LifeStance, gives a self-pay range of $221 to $568 per visit in California. That is one provider's range, not a state average.
| Route | What the sources show |
|---|---|
| Private pay | About $150 to $300 per session |
| Private insurance | Varies by plan. Check your copay on your card or ask the plan |
| University training clinic | UC Irvine $15 to $80 per session. UCLA charges a $40 intake fee for therapy, then a sliding scale |
| County mental health | Ask your county Mental Health Plan |
| Medi-Cal | Ask your Medi-Cal plan |
Prices change, so ask any therapist for their current fee before the first visit.
Does Medi-Cal cover therapy?
Medi-Cal is California's Medicaid program, run by the Department of Health Care Services. California adopted the Medicaid expansion, which took effect on 1 January 2014. Most adults qualify with household income up to 138% of the federal poverty level. Children qualify up to 266%.
You can apply through Covered California or your county Medi-Cal office. Covered California's number is 800-300-1506. The state also lists county Medi-Cal offices.
A 2019 fact sheet from the California Health Care Foundation describes how mental health care is split. Your Medi-Cal managed care plan arranges mild to moderate care, including psychotherapy. Specialty mental health goes through your county Mental Health Plan. That document is dated, so confirm the current rules with your plan. The Covered California Medi-Cal page does not name mental health care specifically.
To find a covered therapist, call your plan and ask for a therapist who accepts it. The Department of Health Care Services behavioral health line is 800-896-4042. The county Mental Health Plan contact list is also available.
For children, ask about Medi-Cal for Children. Some counties also run a County Children's Health Initiative Program.
Using private insurance. How to find a therapist in your network
Call the number on your insurance card. Ask for the behavioral health line and for a list of therapists in your network. Then check each name on the license lookup before you book.
Ask each therapist if they take your plan and what your copay will be. If a therapist is out of network, ask what you would pay and what the plan may reimburse. Your plan can tell you.
California also has a mental health parity law. In July 2025 the California Department of Insurance published final regulations to enforce it. If you think your plan is not following it, the department's consumer hotline is 800-927-4357.
Low-cost therapy in California
Several university clinics offer therapy from graduate trainees who work under licensed faculty.
- UCLA Psychology Clinic offers sliding scale therapy for children, teens, adults and couples. The intake fee is $40 for therapy and $60 for an assessment. Phone (310) 825-2305.
- UC Berkeley Psychology Clinic sets fees by household income. It does not take insurance or Medi-Cal. Phone 510-642-2055.
- UCI Psychological Services Center charges $15 to $80 per session for adults 18 and over, per a February 2024 page. Phone 949-824-5411.
- Palo Alto University Community Clinic uses a sliding scale. Doctoral students are supervised by licensed psychologists.
- SDSU Psychology Clinic describes its services as low cost. Its students are in a joint doctoral program with UC San Diego. Phone 619-594-5200. The page shows no fee table.
Each county runs specialty mental health through its Mental Health Plan. The County Behavioral Health Directors Association represents the behavioral health directors of all 58 counties. For talk and support without a clinician, the peer-run warm line is listed in the crisis section.
If you can afford a little, ask private therapists if they offer a sliding scale. We found no single state-run free counseling program beyond the county system.
Why therapists don't call back, and what to send instead
Silence is common when you first reach out. A short, specific message is easier to answer than a long or vague one.
Include what you need, your schedule, how you plan to pay and whether you want video or in person. Send it to several therapists at once and keep it under about 80 words.
Hello, I am looking for a therapist for anxiety. I can do weekday evenings or Saturday mornings. I have Medi-Cal (or I would pay out of pocket and need a lower fee). Do you have an opening or a waitlist? If not, could you suggest someone? Thank you.
If you hear nothing for a week, send one short follow-up. Then move on to the next name.
How to tell if a therapist is a good fit
On a first call or session, you can ask a few plain questions.
- How do you usually work with someone who has my concerns?
- What does a typical session look like?
- How often would we meet, and what is your fee?
- How will we know if it is working?
Watch for three red flags. A therapist who will not say what they charge, who dismisses your concerns, or who cannot show a current license is not a good match. It is normal to switch therapists if it does not feel right.
If you are a parent, note that a child aged 12 or older may consent to outpatient counseling when the professional finds them mature enough. Parent involvement is expected unless it would be inappropriate. A parent's consent is still needed for psychotropic drugs.
For more on common worries that bring people to therapy, see why avoiding what scares you makes anxiety worse and checking your body first when anxious. For other states, go back to the find a therapist hub.
Crisis help in California
- 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Call 988, text 988, or chat at chat.988lifeline.org. It is free, confidential and open 24 hours a day.
- Crisis Text Line. Text HOME to 741741, at any hour.
- California Peer-Run Warm Line. Call or text 855-600-WARM (9276). Its hours may change, so check when you call.
- CalHOPE Warm Line. English (833) 317-4673, Spanish (833) 642-7696. The state office that hosted this page closed on 1 July 2026, so confirm the service is running.
- Emergency. Call 911.
In short
- California licenses therapists through the Board of Behavioral Sciences, and psychologists through the Board of Psychology.
- Check any license free on the DCA License Search before you book.
- A therapist seeing you by video generally needs a California license, and California is not in the main interstate compacts.
- Most adults qualify for Medi-Cal with income up to 138% of the federal poverty level, and your plan or county arranges the therapy.
- University clinics offer sliding scale therapy, from $15 to $80 per session at UC Irvine.
Sources
- Advertising Fact Sheet and FAQ (rev. 03/2026), https://www.bbs.ca.gov/pdf/publications/adv_guide.pdf
- Verify a License / License Verification, https://www.bbs.ca.gov/licensees/verify.html
- California Board of Psychology, https://www.psychology.ca.gov/
- California Board of Psychology (Consumers), https://www.psychology.ca.gov/consumers/index.shtml
- Search - DCA, https://search.dca.ca.gov/
- Board of Behavioral Sciences 16 CCR 1815.5 Final Statement of Reasons Telehealth, https://www.bbs.ca.gov/pdf/telehealth_fsor.pdf
- Temporary Practice Allowance for Out-of-State Licensees, https://www.bbs.ca.gov/licensees/temporary_practice_allowance_faqs.pdf
- Telehealth FAQ - California Board of Psychology, https://www.psychology.ca.gov/laws_regs/telehealth_faq.shtml
- Final PSYPACT Legislation - Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact (PSYPACT), https://psypact.gov/page/statelegislation
- Compact Map - Counseling Compact, https://counselingcompact.org/map/
- Compact Jurisdictions - Social Work Licensure Compact, https://swcompact.org/compact-jurisdictions/
- Social Work Licensure Compact, https://swcompact.org/
- How Much Does Therapy Costs in California? guide, https://www.therapyroute.com/article/how-much-does-therapy-costs-in-california-2025-guide-by-therapyroute
- Find a Therapist, Psychiatrist or Psychologist That Accepts Your Insurance in California, https://lifestance.com/insurance/ca/humana/
- Medi-Cal | Covered California, https://www.coveredca.com/health/medi-cal/
- Medi-Cal for Children | Covered California, https://www.coveredca.com/health/medi-cal/children/
- Status of State Action on the Medicaid Expansion Decision | KFF State Health Facts, https://www.kff.org/medicaid/state-indicator/state-activity-around-expanding-medicaid-under-the-affordable-care-act/
- Medi-Cal and Behavioral Health Services (CHCF fact sheet), https://www.chcf.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/MediCalExplainedBehavioralHealth.pdf
- Find behavioral health resources, https://www.ca.gov/departments/217/services/36/
- Commissioner Lara expands mental health access with final landmark rulemaking, https://www.insurance.ca.gov/0400-news/0100-press-releases/2025/release050-2025.cfm
- UCLA Psychology Clinic, https://www.psych.ucla.edu/centers-programs/clinic/faq
- UC Berkeley Psychology Clinic, https://psychology.berkeley.edu/clinic/frequently-asked-questions
- UCI Psychological Services Center, https://faculty.sites.uci.edu/teenresiliencelab/2024/02/09/uci-psychological-services-center-psc-is-now-open
- Palo Alto University Community Clinic, https://paloaltou.smartcatalogiq.com/en/2025-2026/2025-2026-pau-university-catalog/information-resources-and-facilities/community-clinic
- SDSU Psychology Clinic, https://psychologyclinic.sdsu.edu/
- CBHDA, https://www.cbhda.org/
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, https://988lifeline.org/
- Crisis Text Line, https://www.crisistextline.org/
- CalHOPE Warm Line | OCPSC, https://ocpsc.ca.gov/?p=4837
- California Peer Run Warm Line, https://www.mentalhealthsf.org/peer-run-warmline/
- Health and Safety Code section 124260, https://california.public.law/codes/health_and_safety_code_section_124260