Overview
Cerebral is an online mental health platform that provides integrated therapy and psychiatry services for anxiety, depression, ADHD, and insomnia. What sets Cerebral apart is its insurance acceptance - working with major health plans to make both therapy and psychiatric care more affordable and accessible.
Operating entirely online with a mobile app, Cerebral offers flexible care plans ranging from medication management ($60/month) to comprehensive therapy and psychiatry ($365/month).
Pricing (2025)
- Medication Management Only: $60/month (billed quarterly at $180)
- Includes unlimited provider messaging
- Face-to-face follow-ups: $80 per session
- Therapy Only: $295/month
- Weekly video or phone sessions
- Therapy + Medication: $365/month (combined care)
- Couples Therapy: $325/month
Insurance: Accepted with most major carriers - can significantly reduce out-of-pocket costs. Also accepts FSA/HSA accounts.
What Cerebral Treats
Mental Health Conditions
- Anxiety disorders: Generalized anxiety, social anxiety, panic disorder
- Depression: Major depressive disorder, persistent depressive disorder
- ADHD: Assessment and medication management (non-stimulant medications only)
- Insomnia: Sleep disorders and related mental health concerns
Important Limitation
Cerebral does not prescribe controlled substances including:
- Stimulant ADHD medications (Adderall, Ritalin, Vyvanse)
- Benzodiazepines (Xanax, Klonopin, Ativan)
- Other Schedule II-IV controlled medications
They focus on non-controlled medications like SSRIs, SNRIs, and non-stimulant ADHD treatments.
How It Works
- Sign up & assessment: Complete online mental health assessment (15-20 minutes)
- Get matched or choose: Select your own therapist/prescriber or get automatically matched
- First appointment: Meet with your provider via video or phone
- Ongoing care: Weekly therapy sessions and/or monthly medication check-ins
- Access app tools: Track progress, message providers, access CBT exercises
Mobile App Features
- Schedule appointments: Book video/phone sessions
- Message providers: Unlimited secure messaging with care team
- Track medications: Monitor refills and medication adherence
- Progress monitoring: Assess symptoms and track improvement
- Self-care tools: Access mindfulness exercises, CBT resources, journaling
Insurance & Payment
Cerebral partners with several major health insurers including Aetna, Cigna, and United Healthcare. Insurance can cover:
- Therapy sessions
- Psychiatric consultations
- Medication management visits
For out-of-network plans, Cerebral will submit claims for potential reimbursement. FSA and HSA cards are also accepted.
Cancellation Policy
After resolving FTC regulatory issues in 2025, Cerebral now allows straightforward cancellation:
- Cancel directly through the app or website
- No long-term commitments - month-to-month billing
- Changes effective at the end of current billing cycle
Who It’s Best For
✅ Good fit if you:
- Have insurance that covers mental health services
- Need affordable medication management for anxiety/depression
- Want integrated therapy and psychiatry in one platform
- Prefer mobile app-based care with messaging access
- Live in a state where Cerebral offers therapy (32 states currently)
❌ Not ideal if you:
- Need controlled substance prescriptions (stimulants, benzodiazepines)
- Prefer therapy-only without medication management
- Want the lowest-cost therapy option (BetterHelp/Talkspace may be cheaper)
- Require in-person sessions
Bottom Line
Rating: 3.8/5 - Cerebral is best for men with insurance coverage who want affordable, integrated mental health care including both therapy and psychiatry. While the company has faced regulatory challenges, they’ve made improvements to transparency and cancellation policies. The inability to prescribe controlled substances is a significant limitation for some users, but the platform offers solid value for anxiety, depression, and non-stimulant ADHD treatment.
Key Differentiator: Insurance acceptance makes Cerebral unique among major online therapy platforms, potentially saving hundreds of dollars monthly for those with qualifying coverage.