A practical guide on how to set fees for psychology consultations in Portugal. Reference values, factors that influence pricing, OPP guidelines, insurance, reimbursements, and strategies for communicating your fees to patients.

Fee Schedule for Psychologists in Portugal: A Complete Guide

Deciding how much to charge for a psychology session is one of the hardest decisions for anyone starting or managing a private clinical practice. In Portugal, there is no mandatory fixed fee schedule, which gives professionals freedom — but also creates uncertainty. How much should you charge for a psychology consultation? Are your rates in line with the market? How can you communicate your prices to patients without discomfort?

This guide addresses all aspects of setting fees for psychologists in Portugal in a practical way, from market reference values to strategies for communicating prices with confidence.

The Context of Psychology Fees in Portugal

Before discussing specific values, it is important to understand the context we operate in.

The Absence of a Mandatory Fee Schedule

Unlike some other regulated professions, the Portuguese Order of Psychologists (Ordem dos Psicólogos Portugueses, OPP) does not impose a fixed fee schedule. The principle is one of freedom in setting prices, provided that the ethical and deontological principles of the profession are respected. This means each psychologist is free to set their own rates, taking into account their training, experience, location, and operational costs.

The Complex Relationship with Money

Many psychologists feel uncomfortable talking about money with their patients. Academic training in psychology focuses on the helping relationship, and the business side of clinical practice is often neglected. However, the financial sustainability of the practice is a necessary condition for providing quality service in the long term. Charging fairly is not incompatible with professional ethics — it is, in fact, part of it.

The Growing Demand for Psychology Services

Demand for mental health services in Portugal has increased significantly in recent years. This rising demand, combined with greater awareness of the importance of mental health, has allowed for a progressive increase in psychologists' fees, especially in major cities.

Portuguese Market Reference Values (2025-2026)

Although prices vary considerably depending on multiple factors, it is possible to identify reference ranges for the Portuguese market.

General Psychology Consultations

The rates charged for individual psychotherapy or psychological counselling sessions fall, in most cases, between 50 and 90 euros per 50-minute session. This range covers the vast majority of professionals in private practice across the country.

In the urban areas of Lisbon and Porto, rates tend to be in the upper half of this range, while in the interior and autonomous regions prices are generally more moderate.

Specialised Consultations

Areas of specialisation tend to justify higher rates:

Neuropsychology and neuropsychological assessment: Longer sessions requiring specific materials, with rates frequently above the general range.
Couples and family therapy: Longer sessions (75-90 minutes), with fees reflecting the greater duration and complexity.
EMDR, compassion-focused therapy, third-wave therapies: The additional specialised training is reflected in the fees.
Forensic psychology: Reports and expert assessments have their own rates, often higher.

First Consultation and Assessment

The first consultation or assessment session may have a different rate from the regular session, as it is generally longer and involves detailed clinical history-taking. Some professionals charge a slightly higher rate; others maintain the same rate to facilitate access.

Online vs. In-Person Sessions

The current trend in Portugal is towards equalising rates between in-person and online sessions. The service provided is equivalent in terms of professional competence, preparation, and time dedicated. Some professionals opt for a slightly lower rate for online sessions, but this practice has been declining.

Factors That Influence Fee Setting

Setting session prices should take into account a broad set of variables.

1. Training and Experience

Basic academic training (bachelor's, master's degree) and complementary training (postgraduate courses, specialisations, accumulated supervision) are legitimate differentiating factors. A psychologist with 15 years of experience and advanced training in specific therapeutic models can — and should — charge different rates from a professional at the start of their career.

2. Operational Costs

The costs of maintaining a private practice vary significantly:

Office rent: The largest fixed cost for most professionals. It ranges from a few hundred euros in smaller cities to substantially higher amounts in prime areas of Lisbon or Porto.
Clinical management and billing software: A tool like Mena.ai integrates scheduling, billing, and clinical management, simplifying the administrative side.
Professional liability insurance: Essential for any private practice.
OPP membership fees: Mandatory for practising the profession.
Clinical supervision: Particularly important in the early years, but recommended throughout one's career.
Continuing education: A necessary investment to maintain the quality of practice.
Accounting: Even under the simplified regime, it is advisable to have accounting support.

3. Geographic Location

The local market directly influences the prices you can charge. Lisbon and Porto allow for higher rates, but operational costs are proportionally greater. Medium-sized cities and the interior present a different balance between costs and revenue.

4. Target Audience

The profile of your patients influences your pricing policy:

Adults in urban settings: Greater willingness to invest in mental health.
Adolescents and children: Often paid for by parents, with different expectations.
Couples and families: Longer sessions, but the cost is shared among members.
Patients with health insurance: Rates are constrained by insurance company fee schedules.

5. Patient Volume and Occupancy Rate

A practice with a full schedule has more flexibility to charge higher rates. When demand exceeds the supply of available time slots, it is natural and healthy to adjust prices upward.

Guidelines from the Portuguese Order of Psychologists (OPP)

The OPP does not set a mandatory price schedule, but it establishes guiding principles that should inform practice.

Relevant Ethical Principles

The OPP Code of Ethics establishes that the psychologist must:

Charge fair and reasonable fees, taking into account the nature and complexity of the services provided.
Inform the patient in advance about fees and payment conditions, before starting to provide services.
Not make the start or continuation of treatment conditional on financial matters in a way that harms the patient.
Refer the patient to accessible alternatives (public health service, charities, reduced fees) when fees constitute a barrier to access.

Transparency and Informed Consent

The OPP recommends that fees be communicated clearly and integrated into the informed consent process. The patient should know, before the first session:

The session rate.
The expected duration.
The cancellation policy.
The accepted payment methods.
Whether packages or special conditions exist.

Price Updates

The OPP recognises the psychologist's right to update their fees, recommending that this be done with reasonable prior notice to patients currently in treatment.

How to Set Your Fees: A Practical Method

To overcome uncertainty, we propose a structured method in five steps.

Step 1: Calculate Your Base Cost

Add up all the monthly fixed and variable costs of your practice:

Office rent.
Software and technology.
Insurance.
Professional membership fees.
Supervision and training.
Accounting.
Social Security contributions (21.4% on 70% of income).
Income tax provision.

Step 2: Define Your Desired Net Income

What monthly net income do you need (and deserve) to maintain your quality of life? Do not forget to include provisions for holidays (you do not receive holiday pay), an emergency fund, and retirement savings.

Step 3: Calculate a Realistic Number of Sessions

Do not count on 8 sessions per day, 5 days a week, 12 months a year. A realistic calculation considers:

4-6 sessions per day (to preserve quality and prevent burnout).
20-22 working days per month.
An occupancy rate of 70-85% (accounting for no-shows, cancellations, and gaps).
11 months of effective work (after deducting holidays).

Step 4: Do the Maths

Divide the total needed (costs + income + contributions) by the realistic number of monthly sessions. This is your minimum sustainable price.

Step 5: Adjust to the Market

Compare the result with the rates charged in your area and field of specialisation. If your minimum price is significantly below the market, you have room to position yourself above the minimum. If it is above, you may need to review costs or rethink the business model.

Mena.ai's integrated financial management provides real-time reports on revenue, occupancy rates, and average value per session, making this calculation easier on an ongoing basis.

How to Communicate Fees to Patients

Communicating prices is, for many psychologists, the most uncomfortable moment in the therapeutic relationship. Here are some strategies to make this process more natural.

Normalise the Conversation About Fees

Fees are part of the therapeutic framework, just like session duration, frequency, or the confidentiality policy. Present them as practical information, not as an apology.

Communicate Before the First Session

Ideally, the patient should know the rates before booking the first consultation. This can be done:

On your website or professional profile: Many patients prefer to know the rates in advance. If you do not publish exact prices, at least indicate a range.
During the first phone call or email: Include fee information in your response to the booking request.
On the online booking form: Integrate pricing information into the scheduling process.

Use Direct and Confident Language

Avoid hesitant phrasing like "My price is, well, 70 euros, if that's not too much..." Instead, use clear communication: "The 50-minute session is 70 euros." Confidence in communication conveys professionalism and reinforces the value of the service.

Have a Written Policy

Including fees and conditions in the informed consent document professionalises the relationship and avoids future misunderstandings. Include:

Rate per session.
Session duration.
Accepted payment methods.
Cancellation and no-show policy.
Conditions for price revisions.

Proactively Address Financial Difficulties

If you sense that the rate may be a barrier for a particular patient, take the initiative empathetically. You can offer alternatives such as a reduced fee (for a limited number of slots), referral to the public health service or charities, or fortnightly sessions instead of weekly.

Health Insurance and Reimbursements

Health insurance is an increasingly present reality in clinical practice in Portugal.

Agreements with Insurance Companies

Working with insurance companies means accepting the fee schedules set by each insurer, which are generally lower than private practice rates.

Advantages:

Access to a broad patient base.
Guaranteed payment by the insurer.
Visibility in the provider network.

Disadvantages:

Lower per-session rates compared to private fees.
Administrative bureaucracy (pre-authorisations, progress reports, diagnosis coding).
Limitation on the number of sessions covered per year.
Possible payment delays.

Major Insurance Companies in Portugal

The insurance companies with the largest presence in the psychology market in Portugal include Multicare, Médis, AdvanceCare, Allianz, and Fidelidade. Each has its own fee schedules, processes, and specific requirements.

ADSE and Public Subsystems

ADSE and other public sector health subsystems partially cover psychology consultations. The usual model is reimbursement to the beneficiary: the patient pays the psychologist in full and submits the invoice for partial reimbursement. It is essential to issue the invoice with all the correct details for the reimbursement to be processed.

Mixed Model: Insurance + Private

Many psychologists opt for a mixed model, reserving part of their schedule for insurance patients (which guarantee volume) and part for private patients (with higher rates). This balance must be managed carefully so as not to compromise financial sustainability.

Payment Methods

Offering multiple payment options facilitates collection and improves the patient experience.

Most Common Options in Portugal

Bank transfer: The most widely used method. No cost to the professional.
MB WAY: Increasingly popular due to its convenience and speed. No subscription costs.
Cash: Still used, but with a declining trend. Requires change management.
Debit/credit card: Requires a payment terminal (POS), with fees between 0.5% and 2%.
Multibanco reference: Useful for advance payments or packages.

When to Charge?

The most common practices are:

Payment before the session: Significantly reduces no-shows and simplifies management. Increasingly adopted.
Payment on the day of the session: The most traditional practice.
Payment within X days after the session: Less recommended, as it increases the risk of delays.

Mena.ai's automatic billing allows you to configure the payment timing and send automatic reminders, significantly reducing delays.

Session Packages

Offering session packages (for example, 4 or 8 sessions) with a slight discount can:

Encourage continuity in the therapeutic process.
Guarantee advance revenue.
Reduce the dropout rate.

The discount should be moderate (5-10%) so as not to devalue the service.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I publish my prices online?

It is a personal decision, but the trend is clearly towards transparency. Publishing prices (or at least a range) on your website or professional profile filters expectations, saves time for both parties, and demonstrates professionalism. If you prefer not to publish exact values, indicate "from X euros" or "between X and Y euros, depending on the type of consultation". Patients value clarity and tend to be wary when pricing information is hard to find.

How often should I update my fees?

An annual review is good practice. Consider inflation, the evolution of your costs, additional training acquired, and market rates. Communicate changes to patients currently in treatment with at least 30 days' notice. Many professionals make the update at the beginning of the calendar year or the academic year (September), as these are natural transition points.

Is it ethical to offer reduced fees or free sessions?

Yes, it is ethical and even encouraged by the OPP. Reserving one or two slots in your schedule for patients with financial difficulties is a way of contributing to mental health access. The important thing is that it is a conscious and sustainable decision — not an obligation that compromises the viability of the practice. Define clear criteria for awarding reduced fees and limit the number of available slots.

How should I handle requests for discounts from patients?

It is important to maintain a firm but empathetic position. If you have set your fees based on your costs and the value of your work, granting indiscriminate discounts devalues the service. As alternatives, you can offer options such as fortnightly sessions instead of weekly, referral to services with more accessible rates (public health service, charities, social clinics), or a limited number of reduced-fee slots with defined criteria. Ad hoc and arbitrary discounts create precedents that are difficult to manage.

Conclusion

Setting fees for psychology consultations in Portugal is an exercise that combines financial calculation, market knowledge, and communication skills. There is no universally "correct" value — the appropriate price is one that reflects your training and experience, covers your operational costs, ensures long-term sustainability, and is communicated transparently to the patient.

The key is to let go of the discomfort around money and see fees as an integral part of an ethical and sustainable professional practice. A psychologist who charges fairly and transparently is better positioned to provide quality service to their patients.

Mena.ai's integrated billing and payment management automates the financial side of your practice — from issuing invoices to managing payments and revenue reports — so you can dedicate your time and energy to what truly matters: your patients.

Investing time in setting your fees is investing in the sustainability of your clinical practice. Do it with confidence.