My former church rents space to an organization called the Pilgrim Center, which provides low-cost therapy to people in need. A good friend of mine was paying about $35 a session, and she, like I, found it extremely helpful.
I don’t know how much my sessions costs as they are through insurance. It seems they are between $75-100. However, I have to see another person who does not take insurance and she charges $225 for 45 minutes. That’s way too much.
Master’s level counselors/therapists in this area charge $90-120 per session. Sessions are generally 45-50 minutes. Most charge LESS if the patient is on a cash basis, or are willing to use a sliding scale based on patient’s income.
Ph.D. level psychologists will charge more, starting at about $120 and up, depending on their experience and expertise.
I wouldn’t go to a psychiatrist for anything other than medication management.
Disclaimer: I am in my second year of a graduate mental health counseling program and demonstrably not crazy. Even my future ex-husband would agree. 
Here’s another vote for checking out local support groups.
I was in therapy for 5 years starting in 1997 due to grief over the death of my mom. At the time, the rate was $90 for a 50 minute session. My therapist was very nice, but honestly, any improvement I saw was marginal.
Bri2k
For a period of time, I was paying $120/hr but my therapist wasn’t a clock-watcher. There were times when our sessions went well over two hours and I was never charged for more than one.
Okay then, those of us without means and who don’t live in places where there is stuff like the Pilgrim Center do without. 
I agree with the idea of a support group. I found my grief support group tremendously helpful.
As for being insulted, nah, not too much. Ignorance is everywhere, and if you have a thin skin, you won’t last long in this field. I have lots of clients who tell me “My husband doesn’t believe in psychologists” to which I always think “Sweet! I am in the same class as fairies and leprechauns!”
Is there a university with a graduate program around? They usually have a low cost clinic. Our local one is $10 per session. You are seen by a student, but they are supervised.
You may also want to check your local mental health center. I think most communities have them. They do sliding scale usually.
I have to agree with your general point, though. I wish we had universal physical health and mental health care. Interestingly enough, while the AMA opposes universal health care, the American Psychological Association advocates for greater accessibility to care.
According to my last bill, $250/hr.
Of course, if your problems are severe but not bad enough to need hospitalization, the university programs, perhaps rightly, refuse to let their students loose with you, so you’re back to REALLY needing help and having trouble accessing it.
I pay $110 per 50 minute session with a PsyD in an area with a COL roughly 50% higher than the national average. I go twice a week, so it’s almost $900/month, more than I pay for rent. I just submitted my statement for the first dozen sessions to my first insurance company, so I don’t know yet how much they will reimburse me. My guess is that they’ll cover roughly 40% but I now have secondary insurance through school, so I may be able to get back more than half in the end. In any case, it’s worth it.
I have been to a number of other therapists who did not fit or just plain did not seem very good, including a couple who frankly seemed to have their heads up their asses. However, my current therapist is very smart and insightful and seems to really be helping me change the thought patterns and behaviors that perpetuate depression. Besides the large quantities of empirical evidence for CBT and some other modern psychotherapy methods, and the lousy evidence for things like old-school psychoanalysis, I find the fact that this person has helped me so much where others couldn’t (not just other therapists but wise friends, family, etc.) to be proof enough for me that there is something substantive to the process of therapy as done by an expert.
The psychiatrist I had at home is also brilliant in both medicine and the art of reading and relating to people, but he does not actually do psychotherapy. If he had and I could have paid for it, I would have gone to him despite him being an MD and not a psychologist. It’s not about the degree on the wall, IMO, it’s about a certain level of training combined with insight and ability to gain patients’ trust.
Hee!
No, ma’am.
Our county mental health department does, but as a self-employed person I make WAY too much for it to help. Also the one P-doc at the center is overworked and rushes his way through patients (you get 20 minutes). I took my niece there a couple of times.
I totally agree. An army of Bryndas. I like it.
NinetyWt, that sucks. Seriously, it just pisses me off.
Fear Itself, have you considered only going to that Psych once a month, and on the other three weeks, go a to a local grief discussion group?
I stayed angry for a long time, but I hope I am past it now. My son did have an excellent talk therapist for about three years who taught him CBT and some other self-help techiniques. He applies that knowledge to his situation, and also pays attention to eating well and getting plenty of rest (although he ends up sleeping more than “normal” people). He has aged out of some of it although he still cannot last a whole semester at school, or remain at a job more than a couple of months.
He is actively working his program (most days). I am cautiously optimistic that he can figure out how to support himself.
At least, I hope he does before I die. :-/