(For the latest updates, please see http://www.jeanniesonger.com/low-cost-free-therapy-resources/)

Sliding Scale Therapy Services in Portland:

Wise Counsel & Comfort is a cooperative practice space with 3 locations in Portland and additional clinics in Beaverton, Gresham, and Lake Oswego. Many therapists, both licensed and pre-licensed under supervision, offer low sliding scales, for example, $40/session. There is a range of modalities practiced, and some therapists offer individual, group, family, relationship, and/or child/adolescent services. Here are the providers offering especially low cost services: https://portland-therapist.org/fees/

The Portland Therapy Center is an online directory where therapists who are both licensed and pre-licensed under supervision can add profiles about their services. They host a list of therapists offering services for under $50/session. The services offered vary widely and change over time as therapists add or remove themselves from this list: https://www.portlandtherapycenter.com/sliding-scale-affordable-therapy-50-and-under

The Portland Process Work Clinic in NW Portland is an affordable, sliding-scale clinic providing services to individuals, couples, families, children, and groups. Therapists may be students or graduates of The Process Work Institute’s Masters programs or certifications: https://www.portlandprocessworkclinic.org/

Portland Psychotherapy provides services through the lens of a specialized form of cognitive-behavior therapy called Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and their services include individual therapy, relationship therapy, as well as many classes and groups. This clinic is built on a social enterprise model with the goal of being able to use any profits they make to support activities that contribute to the greater social good, including offering extensive low-fee services. Here is where you can learn about their sliding scales: https://portlandpsychotherapy.com/sliding_scale_reduced_fee/

The Northwest Catholic Counseling Center is a small outpatient mental health organization serving East Portland in the Roseway neighborhood, but with telehealth, they are able to work with clients all over Oregon. Their name comes from their founders having been members of the Catholic order (while also being trained therapists), though are not a religious organization and do not accept funding from the church. They have a variety of licensed practitioners at their center specializing in individual, family, and relationship counseling, and also have Spanish-speaking therapists. They accept multiple insurance providers, but also offer a cash-pay sliding scale based on income that goes as low as $2/session, which they are able to provide with the help of community donations, grants, and fundraising. You can find more information here: https://www.nwcounseling.org/services/counseling/

Lifeworks NW provides mental health services with many locations all throughout Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington counties. Their services include include residential and outpatient programs for a variety of issues, especially children, youth, and adults with severe mental illness and substance use disorders. They also provide 1:1 counseling for a variety of issues, parent-child interaction therapy, and family counseling. Sliding scale options are available for many of these services, provided only to those who do not have insurance and who do not qualify for OHP or General Funds (grants offered by the county based on household income). Here is a link to their services: https://www.lifeworksnw.org/, and the form with information about reduced fees: https://www.lifeworksnw.org/wp-content/uploads/self_pay_fees.pdf

Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare has several locations throughout the east side of Portland, and provides services including comprehensive assessment and treatment planning, individual and group counseling, case management, skills training, consultation, supported employment, supported education, medication management, parent-child therapy, family counseling, and more. They offer evidence-based, multi-disciplinary treatment for people of all ages with mental health, addiction, and dual-diagnosis issues. You can find information about their sliding scale structure here: https://cascadiabhc.org/services/cascadia-sliding-fee-scale/

LifeStance Health (Formerly Western Psychological & Counseling Services): Currently not accepting new clients at any location. Offers outpatient individual, couples, family and group therapy as well as psychiatric evaluations and medication management in both English and Spanish at many locations across the Portland-Vancouver area. LifeStance has many specialty programs including ADHD, Autism, Conexiones, Substance Use Treatment, Health Psychology and School Based services. LifeStance is contracted with most health insurance plans including OHP. If clients are not able to pay the standard rate or use insurance, a financial assistance application can be mailed for completion. Eligibility is based on income being below 300% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines and may lead to a discounted rate of 25%, 50%, 75%. https://www.westernpsych.com/services/outpatient-mental-health

Jewish Family & Child Services counseling program in downtown Portland provides compassionate, person-centered trauma-informed mental-health services to children, teens, couples and families facing life’s challenges. Their team includes licensed and pre-licensed master’s level providers (MSWs and LCSWs). They accept private pay, sliding scale, Medicare and secondary insurance, as well as commercial insurance. All services are currently being offered remotely. You can learn more about their programs here: https://www.jfcs-portland.org/services/counseling/

Good Samaritan Ministries Counseling Services is a faith-based nonprofit organization; their location in Beaverton offers donation-based counseling to individuals, couples, families, children & adolescents, and groups. From their website: “Our counseling is covered by loving donations, as such, we do not bill or charge for services. We encourage those who come to counseling to consider donating to the ministry but we will never turn anyone away based on an inability to donate.” https://goodsamaritanministries.org/counseling/

The licensed providers at Prism Health are especially experienced in working with LGBTQ+ individuals, and offer their services on a sliding scale basis when needed: https://prismhealth.org/services/mental-health/

The Returning Veterans Project offers free mental health (and many other) services to veterans who served after 9/11/2001, active duty service members, and family members that have been impacted by military service. Here is a link where you can find a provider, or the phone number to call and ask questions: https://returningveterans.org/get-services/find-a-provider/

A Home Within provides free, long-term therapy to foster youth and former foster youth who are now adults. Anyone who has every been in the foster care system, even if in another state or country, qualifies to receive free long-term therapy through this program. Most therapists are licensed and in private practice, all are volunteers. Referrals (including self-referrals) can be made through the national A Home Within website: www.ahomewithin.org

Outside In offers mental health and substance use services for young adults who are houseless; no one turned away for lack of funds. https://outsidein.org/behavioral-health-services/

Sliding Scale College & University Clinics with Services Offered by Graduate Students (and external clinics that host these students):

Lewis & Clark Community Clinic offers a sliding scale of $5 – $75/session and works with individuals, couples, and families. Fees waived for those financially impacted by Covid-19. Problem gambling services are offered free of charge. There is currently a waiting list to get in: https://graduate.lclark.edu/clinics/community_counseling/

The PSU Community Counseling Clinic provides low-cost individual, relationship, and family counseling, including services for children and adolescents, for $15/session, which can be negotiated lower. Sessions are with counseling graduate students, and are either supervised live through a one-way window or recorded for supervision. During Covid, sessions are held via telehealth: https://www.pdx.edu/education/clinic

The Pacific University Psychology & Comprehensive Health Clinic offers individual, family, and group therapy. They see patients covered by OHP, or for self-pay clients, use a cost-of-care determined Federal Poverty Level guidelines. Sessions range from $18 – $47 for those who qualify. They offer additional veteran and student discounts: https://www.pacificu.edu/about/community/healthcare-clinics/pacific-psychology-comprehensive-health-clinic/scheduling-fees

The National University of Natural Medicine (NUNM) clinic offers mental health services to the community, and to make an appointment, clients first need to schedule a primary care appointment with one of their naturopaths who can then refer them to counseling. Sessions are conducted with pre-licensed graduate students from both NUNM and Pacific University, with whom they have a partnership. To make an appointment with primary care to facilitate the referral, call 503-552-1551. Information about payment can be found here: https://nunmhealthcenters.com/payment/

The William Temple House offers pay-what-you-can fees from $0 – $40/session. Clients work either with graduate students under superivision or community volunteers, both licensed and pre-licensed: https://www.williamtemple.org/our-services/counseling/

Family Ties Counseling Center offers services specifically targeted to parents & caregivers, couples with communication and other difficulties, and individuals struggling with anxiety and depression because of relationship issues. They offer individual counseling, relationship/marriage counseling, child & family therapy, counseling for teens, child-parent psychotherapy (for ages 0-5), and group counseling for men. They offer affordable therapy with graduate students, which you can learn about here: https://familytiescounselingcenter.com/who-we-are-2/sliding-scale-therapists/

The practice of Dr. Sanderson and Associates offers sessions with pre-licensed counselors at the Masters and Doctoral level for $0-$50/session, pay-what-you-can. Services offered include individual therapy, group therapy, and psychological assessment. The practice is in Tigard, and they are currently providing telehealth: https://drsandersonandassociates.com/individual-therapy

Allies in Change is a non-profit social activist organization and psychological services center. They offer individual, couple, and group counseling, anger management, and parenting classes at reduced rates for clients who work with doctoral students. Locations are in SW Portland, NE Portland, and Oregon City. Individual and couple counseling ranges from $20 – $50/session; group/class & other fees can be viewed here: https://www.alliesinchange.org/rates–appointments

The Liberation Institute with a Portland office on SE 78th & Stark offers both in-person (when safe) and Telehealth (phone or Internet based) counseling for adults, youth, children, families, and groups. Therapy services are provided by pre-licensed counseling associates. All services are offered on a wide sliding scale: https://www.liberationinstitute.org/center/

A New Day counseling center through Western Seminary offers individual, relationship, adolescent, and family counseling for $20/session with pre-licensed graduate students under supervision and with licensed counselors: https://www.anewdaycounseling.org/

Oregon State University Counseling Clinic offers free sessions to community members via telehealth. Sessions are with counseling graduate students who are supervised by faculty: https://osucascades.edu/counseling-clinic

Owls’ Nest North Therapy Joint offers a sliding scale to those who aren’t able to pay our full fees. They have both licensed and intern therapists on staff: https://www.owlsnestnorth.com/

Open Path Psychotherapy Collective: Our member therapists provide affordable, in-office and online psychotherapy sessions between $40 and $70
($30 for student intern sessions)