Cerebral review for Black patients (2026)

Who Cerebral is right for

Cerebral offers therapy, medication management, or both. It fits if you want both from one place and your insurance is in network. It treats conditions including anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder and ADHD, but it says, "We do not prescribe controlled substances," which rules out stimulants like Adderall.

What it costs

Without insurance, the medication plan is $180 every 3 months and includes a 40-minute initial evaluation, progress assessments and messaging with your care team.

Cerebral's pages disagree on whether that price covers medication from its own pharmacy, CerebralRx, so ask before you pay. CerebralRx doesn't take insurance. Therapy is $175 per session, or $795 for 3 months.

Cerebral lists Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, Optum and UnitedHealthcare, and says insured clients pay an average $30 copay per session. Until you meet your deductible, a plan may require up to $290 for a first prescriber visit and up to $250 for therapy. Its pages don't mention Medicaid or Medicare.

Its track record

In April 2024 the FTC announced an order requiring Cerebral to pay more than $7 million over charges that it disclosed consumers' sensitive health information to third parties for advertising and misled people about its cancellation policies. The FTC says Cerebral gave data on nearly 3.2 million consumers to companies including LinkedIn, Snapchat and TikTok. Read the FTC's announcement.

In November 2024 Cerebral entered a non-prosecution agreement with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York and agreed to forfeit $3,652,000 over practices that "encouraged the unauthorized distribution of controlled substances from 2019 to 2022." Read the Justice Department's announcement.

Finding a Black clinician

Cerebral shows you therapists and prescribers licensed in your state, and in network with your insurance if you use it. You read their bios and book. Its pages describe no way to filter by race. To choose a Black therapist yourself, start with our directory of Black therapists, where every listing rests on the clinician's own word that they are Black.

How to use it

Confirm your coverage before your first paid session. Cerebral says you can cancel your subscription at any time. Given the FTC's cancellation charges, keep a record of the date you cancel.

In crisis right now? Call or text 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, any time. If you are in immediate danger, call 911.