Alma Reviews, Pricing, and Alternatives (December 2025)

There is nothing worse than spending weeks searching for a mental health provider, finally booking an online therapy appointment, and then hearing the words: 'I can't prescribe medication for that.' While platforms like Alma are fantastic for finding talk therapists, they often leave patients with only half a solution. If your symptoms, like ADHD, insomnia, or severe anxiety, require medical management, browsing a directory of therapists might be a detour you can't afford to take. Let's break down exactly what Alma offers, and why direct psychiatric care might be the faster path to relief.

TLDR:

• Alma connects you to therapists for talk therapy, but most cannot prescribe medication for conditions like ADHD or depression

• Insurance verification errors on Alma often result in unexpected bills or higher copays than initially quoted

• If you need psychiatric medication management, you'll require a separate provider from Alma's therapy directory

• Legion Health provides direct psychiatric care with board-certified providers who prescribe medication, typically for under $30 copay in Texas

What is Alma?

Alma operates as a therapist directory and matching service, connecting you with licensed therapists who provide talk-based psychotherapy. The service functions as a marketplace where independent therapists list their practices.

You can browse therapist profiles and filter by criteria like insurance acceptance, specialty areas (such as anxiety, trauma, or relationship issues), and whether they offer in-person or virtual sessions.

Once you find therapists who accept your insurance, you can reach out directly to schedule consultation calls. These introductory conversations help you determine if a therapist's approach and personality feel like the right fit before committing to ongoing sessions.

Alma doesn't hire therapists or provide care itself. Instead, it helps you find a provider who takes your insurance and has availability.

How Does Alma Work for Patients?

Create an account and enter your insurance information. Alma's search tool shows therapists in your area who accept your plan and are accepting new clients.

Filter by specialty (trauma, anxiety, couples counseling), session format (virtual or in-person), therapist demographics, and availability. Each profile includes their therapeutic approach, rates, and accepted insurance.

Contact therapists directly through their listing. Most offer a brief phone consultation before scheduling your first appointment.

Alma verifies your insurance coverage and copay amount before your initial session, so you know your out-of-pocket cost upfront.

Alma Pricing for Patients

Alma doesn't charge membership or subscription fees. Your cost depends on your insurance benefits and your therapist's rates.

Therapists on Alma set their own fees. Many offer sliding scale pricing based on income for patients with financial constraints.

With insurance, you'll pay your plan's copay or coinsurance for mental health visits. These costs vary by plan and deductible status.

Alma verifies coverage before your first session, but your out-of-pocket cost may differ if your deductible hasn't been met or if your plan requires prior authorization.

Common Issues with Alma Reported by Patients

Insurance verification errors are the most frequent source of complaints. Alma's benefit estimates often miss critical coverage details, leaving patients facing unexpected deductibles or higher copays than initially quoted. Therapists receive automated estimates and share them with patients, only to find out later that the information was incomplete or incorrect.

Billing problems compound the confusion. Some patients report charges for sessions their insurance should have covered, or find out that Alma billed the wrong insurance.

Customer service accessibility presents another challenge. Patient complaints on BBB describe support requests routed through a ticketing system that sometimes closes cases without resolution. Patients may find themselves caught between Alma's support team, their therapist, and their insurance company with no clear path forward.

What Alma Does Not Provide

Most providers on Alma are therapists who cannot prescribe medication. If you need medication for depression, anxiety, or ADHD, you'll need to find a psychiatric provider separately.

This forces you to manage two separate care teams: a therapist for talk and a completely different provider for medication. Many conditions respond best to combined treatment, but Alma's directory focuses exclusively on therapy, leaving you to coordinate psychiatric care elsewhere if medication becomes necessary.

When You Need Psychiatry Instead of Therapy

Persistent sleep disruption, difficulty functioning at work or home, intrusive thoughts you can't control, or symptoms that haven't improved with therapy alone indicate that a psychiatric evaluation may be necessary.

Moderate to severe depression often requires medication when accompanied by severe appetite changes, fatigue that interferes with daily activities, or difficulty concentrating. Anxiety that causes physical symptoms like a racing heart or panic attacks typically responds better to combined medication and therapy.

ADHD diagnosis and treatment require psychiatric assessment, as stimulant medications remain the first-line treatment but demand careful evaluation and ongoing monitoring by board-certified psychiatric providers.

Conditions like bipolar disorder, PTSD with severe symptoms, or psychotic features require psychiatric care from the start, as talk therapy alone isn't sufficient for stabilizing these conditions.

Legion Health as an Alternative for Psychiatric Care

Legion Health provides direct psychiatric care versus connecting you to other providers. When you book with Legion Health, you'll see board-certified psychiatric providers who diagnose and prescribe medication for mental health conditions during video appointments.

Your provider conducts a full assessment of your symptoms, medical history, and treatment goals. If medication is appropriate, prescriptions are sent electronically to your pharmacy right after your visit.

We treat anxiety, depression, ADHD, bipolar disorder, PTSD, insomnia, and other psychiatric conditions. Each treatment plan is personalized to your specific needs, combining medication management with recommendations for therapy or lifestyle changes when beneficial.

The service operates entirely through your commercial insurance. Most patients in Texas pay their standard mental health copay, typically under $30 per visit, with no membership fees or surprise bills.

Insurance Coverage Comparison

Alma operates as a therapist directory where each provider independently manages their own insurance contracts and billing processes. Your coverage accuracy depends on that individual therapist's administrative setup and Alma's automated verification system.

Legion Health contracts directly with most major commercial insurers in Texas. We verify your exact coverage and copay before you book an appointment. You see your cost during scheduling versus receiving an unexpected bill weeks later.

Individual therapists in directories often struggle with the complexity of insurance networks. Credentialing delays, out-of-network surprises, and billing corrections become your responsibility to resolve.

Our insurance team handles claims submission and follows up on any issues. You pay your copay at the time of service, and nothing more unless your plan requires an unmet deductible.

Access to Care and Wait Times

Alma requires browsing therapist profiles, submitting consultation requests, and waiting for responses. Some therapists offer instant consultation booking, while others take up to two business days to reply. After your consultation call, you'll schedule your first therapy session, which may be scheduled for days or weeks away, depending on availability.

Legion Health appointments are typically available within days, with many patients booking next-day visits. Evening and weekend slots fit work schedules without consultation calls. You book directly and begin psychiatric treatment at your first appointment, where your provider looks at your symptoms and can prescribe medication if appropriate.

ADHD Testing and Treatment

Legion Health uses QbCheck for ADHD assessment, an FDA-cleared test that objectively measures attention, impulsivity, and motor activity. The results supplement clinical interviews with quantifiable data about your symptoms.

Before prescribing stimulant medications, our board-certified psychiatric providers complete thorough screening and review your full medical history. We coordinate with your primary care doctor to confirm recent physical exams. When stimulants are clinically appropriate for your diagnosis, we prescribe them and track your response through scheduled follow-ups.

Therapists listed in Alma's directory are not authorized to prescribe ADHD medications. You would need to find and coordinate with a separate psychiatrist for medication management while maintaining your therapy appointments.

Ongoing Medication Management and Follow-Up

Psychiatric medication management requires ongoing monitoring to achieve the best results. We schedule regular follow-ups to assess how your medication is working, look at managing side effects, and adjust dosages or medications as needed.

Your provider tracks symptom improvement using standardized assessments at each visit. For ADHD treatment, repeat QbCheck evaluations measure objective changes in attention and impulsivity. For depression and anxiety, mood surveys quantify progress over time.

We coordinate with your primary care physician when medications require health monitoring. For example, certain prescriptions need periodic lab work or EKG screening, which we arrange through your existing medical relationships.

Directory services connect you to independent therapists who manage their own practice protocols. Therapy appointments focus on counseling techniques versus medication oversight, leaving psychiatric medication management as a separate coordination responsibility if you need prescriptions elsewhere.

Choosing Between a Therapist Directory and Direct Psychiatric Care

Choose Alma if you're looking for a therapist to work through life challenges, relationship patterns, or coping strategies through talk therapy. The directory format helps you compare multiple providers before selecting one.

Choose Legion Health if your symptoms interfere with daily functioning and may require medication. We focus on psychiatric evaluation, diagnosis, and ongoing medication management with insurance coverage.

These services look at different aspects of mental health care. You can see a therapist through Alma for weekly counseling while receiving medication management from us. This combined approach often works best for conditions like anxiety and depression.

If you're unsure whether you need medication, start with a psychiatric evaluation. We'll assess your symptoms and recommend the right treatment path, which may include therapy referrals alongside medication if appropriate.

Final Thoughts on Selecting Mental Health Services

Comparing online therapy options gives you a sense of what's available, but your specific symptoms should guide your decision. Directory services work when you need a therapist for weekly counseling sessions, while direct psychiatric care makes more sense for medication evaluation and management. Both types of treatment can work together when your condition benefits from combined approaches. Schedule the type of appointment that best suits what's affecting you most right now.

FAQ

What's the main difference between Alma and Legion Health?

Alma is a directory that connects you with independent therapists who provide talk therapy but cannot prescribe medication, while Legion Health provides direct psychiatric care with board-certified providers who can diagnose and prescribe medication for conditions like depression, anxiety, and ADHD during video appointments.

How quickly can I get an appointment with Legion Health?

Most patients can book appointments within days, with many securing next-day visits. Evening and weekend slots are available to fit your work schedule, and you can begin treatment at your first appointment without needing consultation calls.

Does Legion Health accept my insurance?

Legion Health accepts most major commercial insurance plans in Texas. We verify your exact coverage and copay amount before you book, so you know your out-of-pocket cost upfront. Most patients pay under $30 per visit with no surprise bills.

Can I see a therapist through Alma while getting medication management from Legion Health?

Yes, many patients benefit from this combined approach. You can receive weekly talk therapy through a therapist found on Alma while getting psychiatric medication management from Legion Health, which often works best for conditions like anxiety and depression.

How does Legion Health approach ADHD treatment differently?

We use QbCheck, an FDA-cleared objective test that measures attention, impulsivity, and motor activity alongside clinical interviews. Our board-certified psychiatric providers complete thorough screening and coordinate with your primary care doctor before prescribing stimulant medications when clinically appropriate for your diagnosis.