EMDR Therapy Cost: How Much Does EMDR Therapy Cost?

If you’re considering EMDR therapy for trauma or PTSD, you’re probably wondering what it will cost and whether your insurance will cover it.

The typical cash price for a 60-minute EMDR session in 2025 ranges from $150 to $240 in most U.S. markets, with extended 90-minute sessions often priced between $250 and $350.

This article breaks down what drives EMDR therapy costs, how insurance coverage works, and what you can expect to pay out of pocket.

What is EMDR Therapy and Why Does Session Length Matter?

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a structured, eight-phase trauma therapy that uses bilateral stimulation, often eye movements, to help process distressing memories. The American Psychological Association recognizes EMDR as an effective treatment for PTSD.

Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR sessions often run longer than the standard 45-minute hour. Many clinicians schedule 60 to 90-minute blocks to complete processing phases safely and avoid leaving clients emotionally activated mid-session. This extended time directly affects pricing because therapists bill based on session length using standard psychotherapy codes.

How Much Does EMDR Therapy Cost Per Session?

National Price Ranges

The average EMDR therapy cost in 2025 falls between $100 and $250 per session, with most 50-minute sessions priced at $100 to $200 and 90-minute sessions ranging from $150 to $300. Thervo reports a national median around $170 for standard sessions.

Metropolitan Market Premiums

High cost-of-living areas command higher rates. In New York City, it is charged $240 for 50 minutes, $350 for 75 minutes, and $400 for 90-minute EMDR sessions. San Francisco providers similarly charge $200 or more for standard sessions, with many offering 75 to 90-minute blocks at proportionally higher rates.

EMDR Therapy Cost by Session Length

EMDR Therapy Cost With Insurance

How Insurance Companies Cover EMDR

EMDR does not have its own billing code. Instead, therapists bill it under standard psychotherapy CPT codes: 90832 for 30 minutes, 90834 for 45 minutes, and 90837 for 60 minutes. Because of this, your insurance treats EMDR like any other psychotherapy service, coverage depends on your diagnosis, medical necessity, and plan benefits.

Aetna’s policy illustrates a common coverage pattern: EMDR is considered medically necessary for PTSD but investigational for prevention of PTSD, group EMDR, and many non-PTSD conditions such as depression, anxiety disorders, OCD, and phobias. If your diagnosis does not align with your plan’s coverage criteria, you may face denials and full out-of-pocket costs.

In-Network vs. Out-of-Network Costs

In-network: You typically pay a copay of $20 to $60 per session or coinsurance of 10 to 40 percent after meeting your deductible. Under high-deductible health plans, you may pay the full contracted rate, often $120 to $180 for a 60-minute session, until your deductible is met.

Out-of-network: Many EMDR therapists operate outside insurance networks. If you have out-of-network PPO benefits, your plan may reimburse 50 to 80 percent of the session fee after you meet your out-of-network deductible. For example, a $300 session with 70 percent reimbursement leaves you with $90 out of pocket. Clients with PPO coverage often pay $40 to $110 per session after reimbursement, making extended EMDR sessions competitive with in-network copays.

Medicare Coverage and Costs

Medicare covers psychotherapy when medically necessary, including via telehealth through September 30, 2025, according to CMS telehealth guidance. Beneficiaries pay 20 percent coinsurance of the Medicare-allowed amount after meeting the Part B deductible. Allowed amounts vary by locality and can be checked using the CMS Physician Fee Schedule lookup tool.

Because Medicare rates for psychotherapy are often below prevailing private-pay prices, some EMDR clinicians limit Medicare participation or do not accept Medicare assignment, especially in high-cost markets.

What Drives the Cost of EMDR Therapy?

Extended Session Length

EMDR’s eight-phase protocol often requires 60 to 90 minutes to complete processing safely. Longer sessions push billing into higher time brackets, 90837 for 53 minutes or more, and increase the per-visit price compared to standard 45-minute therapy hours.

Training and Consultation Investments

EMDR clinicians invest significantly in specialized training and charged $750 per weekend for basic training, with two weekends required. Clinicians must also complete 10 hours of consultation to finish basic training and an additional 20 hours for EMDRIA certification, along with clinical case requirements and continuing education. Consultation rates range from $25 per hour in group settings to $75 to $160 per hour individually.

These training costs, combined with ongoing consultation and certification maintenance, contribute to higher session fees that reflect advanced expertise in trauma treatment.

Geographic Location

Metropolitan markets with higher costs of living command premium rates. Practices in San Francisco, New York, and similar cities routinely charge $200 or more for standard sessions, while rural and lower-cost regions may price closer to the $100 to $150 range.

Administrative Burden and Coding Compliance

A 2023 Office of Inspector General audit found that Medicare improperly paid $580 million for psychotherapy services during the first COVID public health emergency year, largely due to missing time documentation and signature deficiencies. This scrutiny increases administrative overhead for clinicians, who must document exact session times, justify extended sessions, and comply with strict coding rules to avoid audits and denials.

Many EMDR therapists remain out of network to reduce billing complexity and price their services to cover compliance costs, which indirectly affects cash rates.

EMDR Therapy Cost for Extended Sessions and Intensives

75 to 90-Minute Sessions

Extended EMDR sessions are common and often necessary for complex trauma processing. While posted fees for 90-minute sessions range from $250 to $400, insurance reimbursement for time beyond 60 minutes is inconsistent. After the 2023 deletion of prolonged psychotherapy add-on codes, many payers only reimburse up to the 90837 allowance, leaving patients responsible for the extended-time premium unless the plan explicitly authorizes longer sessions.

EMDR Intensives

Intensives compress treatment into multi-hour or multi-day blocks and typically cost $600 or more per block. These formats are usually cash pay, though some clients submit itemized receipts for partial out-of-network reimbursement. Intensives are designed for clients who need concentrated trauma work and can commit to extended sessions.

What to Expect for Out-of-Pocket Costs?

Sample Scenarios

Commercial PPO, in-network copay: A 60-minute EMDR session billed as 90837 with a contracted rate of $150 and a $40 copay leaves you paying $40 per visit.

High-deductible plan, in-network: If your deductible is not met, you pay the full contracted rate of $150 until you reach your deductible. After that, you pay coinsurance, often 20 percent, or $30 per session.

Out-of-network PPO: A $240 session with 60 percent reimbursement of a $170 usual and customary rate results in $102 from your insurer and $138 out of pocket after your out-of-network deductible is met.

Medicare beneficiary, telehealth: A 45-minute session (90834) with a locality-adjusted allowed amount of $110 results in $22 out of pocket after 20 percent coinsurance, assuming the Part B deductible is met.

How to Verify EMDR Coverage and Reduce Costs?

Confirm Diagnosis Alignment

Before starting EMDR, verify that your diagnosis qualifies under your plan’s medical necessity criteria. If you have a PTSD diagnosis, coverage is more likely. For non-PTSD conditions, ask your insurer whether EMDR is covered or considered investigational.

Ask About Session Length and Coding

Longer EMDR sessions can be more effective but will affect your cost. Request a Good Faith Estimate and ask your therapist which CPT code they will use. Confirm whether your plan covers extended sessions beyond 60 minutes or if you will pay an additional fee.

Calculate Out-of-Network Reimbursement

If you have PPO out-of-network benefits, ask your insurer what percentage they reimburse and what the allowed amount is for psychotherapy codes in your area. Many clients find that after reimbursement, their net cost for extended EMDR sessions is comparable to in-network copays.

Request Superbills for Reimbursement

Out-of-network EMDR therapists typically provide monthly superbills with CPT codes, diagnosis codes, session dates, and provider information. Submit these to your insurer for reimbursement according to your plan’s out-of-network benefits.

Telehealth EMDR and Cost Parity

Medicare and most commercial plans recognize behavioral health telehealth on par with in-person sessions in 2025. CMS policy allows psychotherapy via telehealth from the patient’s home when specific identification criteria are met, and payment is generally equivalent to in-person rates.

Some private-pay practices offer slightly lower cash rates for telehealth, often 10 to 30 percent less, but this is practice-specific rather than payer-driven. For insured clients, telehealth EMDR typically carries the same copay or coinsurance as in-person sessions.

Documentation and Audit Considerations

Therapists must document exact session times to support the billed CPT code. For 90837, the session must be at least 53 minutes. Missing or vague time documentation is a common reason for claim denials and downcoding, which can shift costs to patients.

For telehealth claims, providers should record the modality (audio-video), patient location, and place of service code. CMS guidance instructs Medicare Administrative Contractors to process behavioral health telehealth claims that include mental health diagnoses in the F01.A0 to F99 range and use place of service 10 for the patient’s home.

Clinicians who maintain rigorous documentation reduce audit risk and can more confidently accept insurance or offer competitive cash rates.

Why EMDR Costs More Than Standard Therapy?

EMDR is not inherently more expensive because of a special code or modality premium. The cost difference stems from three factors: longer session lengths that push billing into higher time brackets, specialized training and consultation investments that clinicians recoup through fees, and the administrative burden of compliance and coding that affects network participation.

For clients, this means EMDR therapy cost per session reflects the time and expertise required to deliver effective trauma treatment, not an arbitrary markup.

Final Recommendations

For patients: Verify your diagnosis, session length, and out-of-network benefits before starting EMDR. Request a Good Faith Estimate and calculate your net cost after reimbursement. If you have PTSD and in-network coverage, your out-of-pocket cost may be as low as $20 to $60 per session. If you are out of network with PPO benefits, expect $40 to $150 per session after reimbursement for extended sessions.

For clinicians: Document session times precisely, justify extended sessions when clinically necessary, and educate patients about Good Faith Estimates and out-of-network reimbursement to avoid surprise bills. Use correct CPT codes and avoid billing add-on codes alone to reduce audit risk.

EMDR therapy offers a proven path to healing from trauma, and understanding the cost structure helps you plan for treatment without financial surprises. Whether you pay cash, use in-network benefits, or submit out-of-network claims, knowing what drives EMDR pricing empowers you to make informed decisions about your care.

If you or a loved one is ready to explore trauma therapy in a compassionate, evidence-based setting, reach out to our team to learn how we can support your recovery.