Fast, no waiting
No months-long wait for an insurance-covered place.
- Start within days
- Free initial consultation
- Online by video
For self-payers
Psychotherapy as a self-payer: within days, not months
Private psychotherapy without health insurance, like in a private practice, only by video. Find the right licensed therapist and start within days. Discreet, no insurer record, €170 per session.
Find the right therapist for you
A selection of our licensed therapists at Therapy Lift.
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Nadja Aulinger
Kinder- und Jugendlichenpsychotherapeutin
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Larissa-Charlotta Lupp
Psychologische Psychotherapeutin
- Licensed therapists only
- Appointment within days
- Free initial consultation
- Discreet, no insurer record
What does psychotherapy as a self-payer mean?
Psychotherapy as a self-payer means you settle your treatment directly with your therapist, with no health insurance involved. Treatment is with licensed psychotherapists and is billed according to the German fee schedules for medical and psychotherapeutic services (GOÄ/GOP), exactly as in a private practice. The therapy itself is the same. Only the way it is paid for differs.
For many people this is the fastest and simplest way into therapy. You need no application, no approval and no referral. You decide with whom and when you start.
Benefits
Your benefits as a self-payer
Why self-payers start therapy faster, more discreetly and with more freedom at Therapy Lift.
Discreet, no record
No diagnosis in your insurer’s file.
- No record at your health insurer
- No application, no approval
- No invoice to an insurer
Free choice and quality
You choose who suits you.
- Licensed therapists only
- Choose your own therapist
- Nationwide, like a practice nearby
What does psychotherapy cost as a self-payer?
As a self-payer, a 50-minute session costs €170, billed according to the German fee schedule for psychotherapists (GOP), exactly as in a private practice. There are no hidden surcharges, and costs are only incurred after a session. The initial consultation is free.
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Step 1
Start treatment
With a licensed therapist, online by video.
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Step 2
Receive the invoice
Billed transparently according to GOP, €170 per session.
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Step 3
Pay yourself
No insurer, no application. You pay directly and start right away.
A full breakdown of every way to fund therapy, from statutory insurance through private insurance to paying yourself, is in our detailed overview: What does psychotherapy cost? (in German)
How to start as a self-payer
- 1
Matching
Answer ten short questions and receive suggestions for therapists who suit you professionally and personally.
- 2
Free initial consultation
Get to know your preferred therapist in a no-obligation call of up to 15 minutes.
- 3
Start therapy
If it is a fit, you usually begin within a few days, by video, wherever you are.
A detailed explanation of the process is under How it works . How online psychotherapy works and what makes a video session is on our overview page .
4.9 out of 5
Experiences of self-payers
„I did not want a record at my insurer and did not want to wait for months. Within a few days I had an initial consultation and could start.“
„The costs were clear from the start and video therapy fits well into my day. I could choose for myself who suited me.“
Quality and data protection
With a German license to practice
Verified qualifications, no coaches.
GDPR compliant
Your data is processed under European law.
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Conversations and content stay private.
Hosted in Germany
The platform runs on servers in Germany.
Self-payer, statutory or private insurance?
Which route suits you depends on how you are insured and how quickly you want to start.
Self-payer
You cover the costs yourself and in return start immediately, with free choice of therapist and no approval process.
Statutory insurance
Insurance-funded therapy is free of charge but often comes with long waits. If you do not want to wait, you start as a self-payer.
Privately insured or entitled to Beihilfe
Costs are reimbursed depending on your plan. More on our page for the privately insured.
For the privately insuredAs a self-payer, a 50-minute session costs €170. Billing follows the German fee schedule for psychotherapists (GOP). The initial consultation is free.
No. As a self-payer you settle directly with your therapist, without statutory health insurance. No record is created in your file at the insurer. For many people that is a deliberate reason to pay for therapy themselves.
Usually within a few days. You need no application and no approval. Once you have found a suitable therapist and had the free initial consultation, treatment can begin.
People with statutory insurance generally do not get the money back directly. Under certain conditions the cost-reimbursement procedure (Kostenerstattungsverfahren) can be a way to have treatment outside insurer-contracted practices reimbursed. The privately insured and those entitled to Beihilfe are reimbursed depending on their plan.
No. For psychotherapy as a self-payer you need neither a referral nor a prescription. You can contact a therapist directly.
In principle, yes. Therapy you paid for yourself does not rule out a later switch to insurance-funded treatment. The requirements are best clarified with your therapist and your health insurer.
Above all, people who want to start quickly and not wait months for an insurance-covered place, who value discretion, or who want to choose their own therapist.
Yes. For the most common concerns, such as depression and anxiety disorders, studies show online psychotherapy to be as effective as therapy in a practice. What matters is a licensed therapist and a solid therapeutic relationship, not how you pay.
At Therapy Lift, licensed psychotherapists treat you, both psychologists and physicians, including specialists in psychiatry and psychotherapy. The focus is psychotherapy through conversation, by video.
Yes, nationwide. Sessions take place by video. Whether you live in Berlin, Cologne, Düsseldorf, Leipzig or the countryside, you need no practice nearby and no commute.