The current mental health crisis in America and Canada is multi-layered and complex. We at Open Path have seen first-hand how difficult it can be for lower-income individuals without adequate insurance to see a therapist in private practice at an affordable rate.
One of the challenges we face at Open Path is meeting the demands of the clients who seek our services by consistently adding psychotherapists in private practice to our collective. To keep fewer people from falling through the cracks, Open Path has decided to expand its reach and welcome student interns into our collective. We currently have over 19,000 member therapists making therapy more accessible and affordable.
Open Path member therapists who have earned their master’s degree can charge Open Path clients between $40-70 per session. Open Path student interns can charge a flat rate of $30 per session for all modalities. Student interns must be in the process of completing their clinical practicum or internship of their graduate studies and be practicing under the watchful eye of a licensed supervisor.
This change means that all clients will now have expanded options when seeking care and can select a student intern offering $30 sessions if that is right for them.
In 2004-05 I did my student internship at a small, local counseling center in Boulder, Colorado. It was a wonderful, challenging first year for me to practice working as a therapist. I had excellent supervision, learned a great deal, and immensely enjoyed the work I did with my clients. I’m thrilled that Open Path will now begin working with student interns. We hope to increase the number of individuals, couples and families in the United States and Canada receiving affordable care.
— Paul Fugelsang, Founder, Open Path
