Low & No-Cost Mental Health Counseling Resources

The following list provides you with information about low and no-cost mental health counseling services in the greater Portland, Oregon area. I hope it is helpful to you on your counseling journey.

Each organization below operates according to its own policies and procedures. I try to keep this information current, but it may change from time to time, especially as funding streams change; please click on the organization's link and reach out to them directly in order to receive the most up to date information about their services, application processes, and any potential costs. Some organizations accept insurance, while others operate on a strictly cash/credit pay basis. Many offer sliding scale payments based on household income. There are even a few that are completely free.

The following is not meant to be a comprehensive list, nor is it an endorsement of the content of the websites provided. If you know of a low or no-cost counseling resource that could be a helpful addition to this page, feel free to email me at wendy@birdsongcc.com.

Please Note: I offer sliding scale counseling spots for low-income individuals at Birdsong Counseling & Consulting, too! Don't hesitate to complete the electronic inquiry form on the right side of this webpage if you're interested in seeing how I might be able to help! :)

Now here's the list, in alphabetical order:

A New Day Counseling - This organization, which is located in SE Portland and sponsored by Western Seminary, provides Christian-based counseling for teens, adults, couples, and families. They offer both in-person and telehealth services. Services cost between $40 to $150 per session, depending on the experience level of the practitioner. They do not accept insurance.
Allies in Change - Located in inner NE Portland, this full service counseling organization offers individual, couple, and group counseling services aimed at helping clients have more successful relationships. While they provide general mental health counseling, they also specialize in treatment for domestic violence and anger management. Office hours last until 7pm Monday through Thursday, and until 5pm on Friday. They charge different session rates, depending on the type of counseling and the type of provider selected. Please see their website for more detailed information.
Asian Health & Service Center - This non-profit has sites in Beaverton and SE Portland. They offer bicultural and language specific mental health services for Cantonese-Chinese, Mandarin-Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, and English language speakers. They also provide multiple intake phone lines--one for each of the forementioned languages. Please see their website for those phone numbers. To be eligible for services, potential clients must be residents of Washington, Multnomah, or Clackamas County, Oregon. Counseling for individuals, couples, and families is available. In addition, they offer psychiatric assessments by psychologists and psychiatrists. Medication management is provided at the SE Portland location. The CareOregon Oregon Health Plan (OHP) is accepted for payment.
Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare - This non-profit organization offers comprehensive mental health care at sites in SE Portland, inner NE Portland, outer NE Portland, and Clackamas. There are different services at each site, but generally, services for children (6 years and up), adults, older adults, and families are available. They also have an Urgent Walk-in Clinic at 4212 SE Divsion, Portland for Multnomah County residents only. Fees vary according to service and program; please contact them directly at (503) 674-7777 during normal business hours for more information.
Clackamas County Behavioral Health Center Clinic - This organization provides mental health counseling, medication management, and addictions treatment. They also offer group counseling and skill building programs. Some services may occur by telehealth; please inquire with them directly for more information. Most services are provided in-person at either the Milwaukie or Oregon City locations. Acceptable forms of payment include Oregon Medicaid (Oregon Health Plan), Medicare, and for substance treatment programs only, commercial insurance. Ask them about funding for uninsured individuals.
Columbia Community Mental Health - Located in St. Helens, Oregon, this agency provides individual, couple, family, and group counseling services. In addition, they offer medication management for mental health prescriptions. Payment is determined using a sliding scale, based on family size and income. No one is denied services because of an inability to pay.
George Fox University Behavioral Health Clinic - This Newberg, Oregon Clinical Psychology (PsyD) center offers psychological assessment and faith-based therapy services to the general community. Services are provided by students in their 2nd, 3rd, or 4th year of the Clinical Psychology Doctorate program. Simply submit the online questionnaire to get started. As of this writing, counseling therapy sessions cost $30, and the provision of psychological assessments cost $650.
Good Samaritian Counseling - This Beaverton, Oregon area Christian organization provides child/adolescent, adult, marriage, family, and group counseling services. Payment is donation-based, and no one is turned away for lack of ability to pay.
Inclusive Therapists - This nationwide online directory can help you find a therapist, counselor or coach committed to Racial, 2SLGBTQIA+, Neurodivergence, and Disability Justice. You can search the directory by zip code, sliding scale payment ranges, advocacy focus, cultural knowledge, languages, provider identity, and spiritual knowledge. Each provider listed on the site operates independently and has different service offerings. To begin searching, simply click on the highlighted Inclusive Therapists name, above.
Jewish Family & Child Services Counseling - Located Downtown and in East Portland, this organization offers culturally competent mental health care to the general public via in-person and telehealth visits. On rare occasions, they may even provide counseling in the client's home. Services are provided for older children, teens, adults, couples, and families. Staffed by licensed providers and Master's Degree candidates, they accept commercial insurance, Medicare, and sliding scale payments. To initiate services, you can call, email, or complete the online intake form.
Lewis & Clark Community Counseling Center - This southwest Portland clinic provides counseling for children, adults, couples, and families. The clinic is staffed by graduate-level students who are pursuing a Master's Degree in Art Therapy; Mental Health Counseling; Marriage, Couple, & Family Therapy; or School Psychology. Services are provided both in-person and by telehealth. As of this writing, there is a separate initial intake fee of $15. Thereafter, fees are assessed on a sliding scale based on income. In addition to traditional mental health counseling, the clnic also offers specialized counseling for individuals experiencing gambling problems.
Lifeworks NW - This non-profit organization offers mental health services in clinics throughout Clackamas County, Multnomah County, and Washington County, Oregon. They also have a Hillsboro Walk-in Clinic for urgent mental health needs. They address concerns like Anxiety, Depression, ADHD, Bipolar Disorder, Schizophrenia, Psychosis, PTSD and Addiction. Oregon Medicaid (Oregon Health Plan) and cash/credit payments are accepted. Patients without insurance or those who are underinsured may be eligible for sliding scale payments based on family income.
Lifestance Health Conexiones - This agency provides culturally and linguistically specific evaluation and counseling services to Hispanic and Latinx identified children, teens, adults, and families. They offer learning disability assessments for children kindergarten-age to college-age, and they also offer ADHD, autism, and cognitive functioning evaluations. They have sites located througout Oregon. In the Portland Metro area, you can see them in NE Portland, NW Portland, SE Portland, Beaverton, Tigard, Tualatin, Gladstone, Clackamas, and Gresham. Most commercial insurances, Oregon Medicaid (Oregon Health Plan), Medicare, and sliding scale payments are accepted. Please contact the site closest to you for more information.
Lutheran Family Services Health - This organization offers general behavioral health care, as well as targeted services for immigrants, individuals with LGBTQ identities, victims of sexual assault, and victims of human trafficking. Clinical mental health counseling can be accessed in Portland, Beaverton, Yamhill County, and Klamath Falls, Oregon. Specific services vary by location, so it is important to contact your closest site directly for details. Generally, counseling services are offered for children, teens, and adults. They accept Oregon Medicaid (Oregon Health Plan) and income-based sliding scale payments.
Native American Rehabilitation Association (NARA) - This SW Portland Federally Qualified Health Center provides mental health treatment and advocacy for indigenous peoples and others in need. Assistance for children, teens, adults, and couples is available. A separate substance use treatment program is also offered. Payment is based on ability to pay using a sliding scale, and in certain cases, patients may even be eligible for pro bono (free) services.
New Narrative - This non-profit agency provides outpatient mental health counseling services at both their Tigard and SE Portland sites. Their services are designed for individuals experiencing poverty, houselessness, struggles with substance use, limited daily living skills, and a lack of family or social supports. They accept the CareOregon Oregon Health Plan (OHP), OHP Opencard, some Medicare arrangements, and sliding scale payments.
Northwest Catholic Counseling Center - Located off of Sandy Blvd in NE Portland, this clinic provides child, adult, couples, and family mental health counseling. Services are also offered in Spanish and Mandarin, although wait times to start bilingual services can vary between two to six months in length. The non-profit is contracted with many local and national insurance companies, and they also offer sliding-scale payment options for low-income clients. To get started, either submit the online application or call to have a staff member help you complete the application orally.
Open Path Psychotherapy Collective - Open Path is an online therapist directory for counselors offering individual, couple, and family mental health care at reduced session rates. The therapists who advertise on this site promise to offer low-cost counseling fees between $30-70/session, based on the practitioner's experience level and the type of counseling service selected. Individual counseling costs less than couple or family counseling. Clients can search the site in a number of ways, including by location, treatment specialty, session cost, therapist identity, and languages spoken. Clients can also reach out to therapists directly to ask questions and find a professional that aligns with their needs. Once they select the therapist they'd like to work with, clients pay an initial, one-time $65 fee to Open Path for the referral. Thereafter, session rates are paid directly to the therapist at the agreed rate.
Oregon Health Sciences University (OHSU) Avel Gordly Center for Healing - This department of OHSU provides culturally specific mental health care for the African and African American community in Multnomah County. Located in Downtown Portland, they are easily accessible by public transportation. They offer psychiatric evaluation, medication management, general counseling, LGBTQ counseling, Substance Use/DUI treatment, and Adoption/Adoptee counseling. Sliding scale payments are accepted. Insurance may be accepted for certain services.
Oregon Health Sciences University (OHSU) Intercultural Psychiatric Program - This department of OHSU specializes in providing culturally responsive mental health care for immigrants and refugees. Located in NE Portland on the 3rd level of the Lloyd Center mall building, on the wing between the former Macy's and Sears sites, they are easily accessible by TriMet bus and Max light rail. They provide individual and group counseling (children 4 years through adults), medication management, and skills training. There is also a specialized Torture Treatment Center to address the needs of trauma victims. Services are offered in Spanish, Vietnamese, Arabic, Somali, Bosnian, Cambodian, and more. Fees are dependent on the service provided. Please call their intake line (503) 494‐4222 during normal business hours for more specific information.
Oregon State University Cascades Counseling Clinic - This clinic, located in Bend, Oregon, offers telehealth counseling services throughout the state. In-person services are also available for those who live in Bend, Oregon. Counseling is provided free of charge by graduate-level students who are pursuing a Master's Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling or School Counseling. Please complete the brief online application by clicking the Make An Appointment button on their webpage.
Outside In - This non-profit organization is located in downtown Portland and offers individual and group counseling services for houseless clients ages 18-24 years who have been pre-screened AND qualify for Oregon Medicaid (Oregon Health Plan). Please contact them directly for more information about their programs.
Pacific University Psychology and Comprehensive Health Clinic - This medical center serves children, adults, and families at clinics in Hillsboro and downtown Portland. Advanced graduate-level students provide psychological evaluation, including assessments for learning disabilities, ADHD, and cognitive problems. They also offer counseling and medication management services. Their clinics accept Portland-area Oregon Medicaid (Oregon Health Plan) insurance and sliding scale payments based on family income. Both clinic sites are accessible via public transportation. Eligible Medicaid members in Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington Counties may receive free transportation services to their appointments through Ride to Share.
The Process Work Institute's Rivers Way Clinic - Located in NW Portland, this TriMet accessible clinic promotes meaningful self-growth for individuals, couples, and families. Many practitioners specialize in depth and Jungian pyschology, including dreamwork, body symptom work, movement work, meditation, art, and creative expression. As of this writing, session costs start at $25 for Counseling Interns and $65 for Master's level Clinicians.
Portland State University Community Counseling Clinic - This downtown Portland clinic, which is highly accessible via Trimet bus and Max light rail, offers both in-person and telehealth counseling to the general public. Services are provided by graduate-level students who are completing their Master's Degree in Clinical Mental Health, Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling, or Marriage & Family Counseling. As of this writing, therapy sessions for individuals, couples, or families typically cost $20 or less, depending on financial need.
Portland Therapy Center (PTC) Affordable Therapy List - PTC is an online therapist directory designed to increase access to counseling services in the Portland-Metro area. In addition to traditional therapist listings, they provide a list of mental health professionals who offer therapy for $50/session or less. Some therapists on the list even offer counseling for as low as $20/session. Please click on the name, Portland Therapy Center, above, to be directed to the current list.
Dr. Sanderson & Associates - This private practice offers psychological assessment and mental health care at locations in Tigard and SE Portland. Telehealth therapy is also provided. Services include individual, couple, family, and group counseling. The cost depends on the type of service selected and the experience of the practitioner chosen. Please reach out directly for current rates.
Spectrum Counseling & Mental Wellness - This Downtown Portland area nonprofit is trauma-informed, as well as LGBTQ+ and fat-affirming. They offer general mental health counseling services and specialized services for internet/gaming and substance use. They also offer assessments for gender-affirming surgeries and hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Individual, couples, family, and group counseling options are available. Commercial insurance and Oregon Medicaid (Oregon Health Plan) are accepted, and in addition, they have a "generous" sliding scale program. Sliding scale payments between $30 to $70 for individual to family counseling are typical. However, deeper discounts and free counseling are an option for those experiencing severe finanancial hardship. No one is turned away due to inability to pay.
Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center - This organization offers culturally responsive medical, pharmacy, and mental/behavioral health care. Bilingual Spanish care is available. They have medical clinics in Beaverton, Hillsboro, Cornelius, McMinville, and Newberg. They also maintain school-based clinics in Beaverton, Hillsboro, Forest Grove, Tigard/Tualatin, and Willamina school districts. In addition to accepting commercial insurance and Medicaid, Virginia Garcia accepts sliding scale payments with proof of eligible household income. There is a separate Pharmacy Assistance Program for help with prescription costs, as well.
William Temple House Counseling Center - This clinic, which is staffed by graduate-level counseling interns and pre-licensed counselors, offers in-person and telehealth mental health counseling services for children, teens, adults, and couples. Located in NW Portland, it is accessible by TriMet public transit. Session costs are based on ability to pay and range from free to $80/session. If you cannot pay for counseling at the time of service, you will receive counseling services without payment. To apply for services, click on one of the three blue banners in the middle of their webpage that begin with "Request for Services."
Wise Counsel & Comfort - This clinic is located in SE Portland, near Reed College. It is accessible by TriMet bus. They offer in-person and/or telehealth counseling, depending on the particular provider. While all of their counselors offer sliding scale therapy services, they also maintain a list of counselors charging especially low fees--typically $40/session or less. You can access this low fee list of counselors by clicking on the Wise Counsel & Comfort name, above.

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