Finding Providers Who Offer Sliding-Scale or Negotiable Fees

Finding Providers Who Offer Sliding-Scale or Negotiable Fees

Cost is one of the biggest reasons people put off working with a mental performance coach or therapist. Some of our providers are willing to negotiate their rate, work on a sliding scale based on income, or offer reduced fees for students, athletes between contracts, and other special situations.

How to find them

When you browse the Providers directory:

• Look at the left-hand filter panel and scroll to the Pricing section
• Check the box that says "Offers sliding scale"
• Click Apply Filters

Your results will narrow to only providers who have indicated they offer flexible pricing.

What the badge means

On each provider's card and on their full profile, you'll see a small green badge: Sliding Scale. It means the provider has told us they're open to discussing alternative pricing — not that there's an automatic discount.

On the profile page itself, if the provider has added a note about how their sliding scale works, you'll see it in a green box at the bottom of their About section. Common examples:

• "Contact me to discuss — happy to work something out."
• "Reduced rate available based on annual income."
• "Student rate of $XX available with proof of enrollment."

How to ask

The badge tells you this provider is open to the conversation. The next step is to start one:

• Click Message on the provider's profile and send them a short note about your situation
• Or book a Free Consultation (most sliding-scale providers offer one) and bring it up during the call

You don't need to over-explain or apologize. Most providers who flip this badge on do so because they actively want to make their work accessible.

What this is not

• Not an automatic discount. When you book a session, the listed price is what you'll be charged at checkout. The sliding-scale conversation happens separately, before or during your first session, and any reduced rate is arranged directly with the provider.
• Not a guarantee. Even if a provider has the badge on, they may not be able to discount to your specific budget. It's a starting point for a conversation, not a contract.
• Not the same as accepting insurance. Insurance is a separate thing — most coaches don't accept insurance regardless of sliding scale. Check the provider's profile for insurance details.

If you're a provider reading this

If you want to add the Sliding Scale badge to your own profile, go to Settings → My Profile, scroll to the Sliding Scale / Negotiable Fees card, check the box, and optionally write a short note about how it works for you. Save, and the badge appears immediately.