Leaving Alma, Headway, or Grow Therapy: What Happens to Your Caseload

What changed in 2026

Several platform changes this year have more therapists reading the fine print.

• Spring Health and Alma. Spring Health announced an agreement to acquire Alma on January 29, 2026, and said the deal closed on May 1. Alma's CEO told providers there would be "no changes to Alma provider pricing or contracts."
• Aetna rates for Alma providers. In May, Alma notified providers that Aetna planned to pay 60-minute sessions (CPT 90837) at the 45-minute rate (90834) and pay doctoral-level providers at master's-level rates from July 15, 2026, as reported by Behavioral Health Business. On July 8, Alma told providers that those two changes would not go ahead, but that Aetna's final rates still reduce overall reimbursement through Alma, with the remaining cuts moved to August 15, as reported by ClearHealthCosts. More detail in our breakdown of the Aetna rate cuts for Alma therapists.
• Headway's marketplace fee. Headway says it is introducing a $9.99 marketplace service fee on every appointment with a new client who finds you through its marketplace. It starts on October 8, 2026 in Virginia, Washington, Georgia, Ohio, and Illinois, and reaches all states by the end of 2026. Clients you bring, or who book through your direct link, are exempt.
• Grow Therapy and Psychology Today. As of June 1, 2026, Grow requires providers to opt in to a Grow-managed Psychology Today profile. We covered what that means in Grow Therapy now manages your Psychology Today profile.

How the platforms are set up

All three platforms handle credentialing and billing for you. This is what each publishes about contracts, taxes, and fees.

• Insurance contracts. Alma says providers in its insurance program are "credentialed under Alma's Tax ID." Headway says it "credentials providers directly through its own payer agreements, which are separate from any carrier relationships you may have independently." Grow says your enrollment "won't transfer outside of Grow" because it adds you to Grow's group contracts.
• Taxes. Headway issues 1099 forms to contracted providers paid $600 or more in a year. Grow describes providers as independent contractors and issues 1099-NEC forms. Alma's public help center does not state this for individual members.
• Fees. Alma's membership costs $125 a month, or $1,140 a year. Headway says it keeps "a small percentage of session payments", plus the new marketplace fee above. Grow says partnering involves "no fees or minimum visit requirements." None of the three publishes its insurance rates publicly.

What each platform says about leaving

As of October 2026. Where a platform does not publish something publicly, the table says so.

Alma also has an offboarding guide for members, but it is only available after logging in.

Our view: build client flow you own

A platform can fill a caseload while you are on it, but the listing and the referrals belong to the platform. The channels with your name on them stay with you if you leave: your own website, your Google Business Profile, your Google reviews, and pages clear enough that AI tools like ChatGPT can cite them.

These take weeks to months to start producing inquiries, so in our view the time to build them is while platform referrals are still coming in, not after they stop. For practices with more than one clinician, one owned site can feed the whole team.

Frequently asked questions about leaving Alma, Headway, or Grow Therapy

Do my clients come with me if I leave Alma, Headway, or Grow Therapy?

It depends on the platform. Headway says clients you bring to Headway are yours, and expects clients who found you through Headway's search to continue being seen on Headway. Alma says consultation requests and referrals sourced through Alma should stay in the Alma network. Grow Therapy does not publish a policy on this. Your own provider agreement sets the terms that apply to you.

Can I export my clinical notes before I leave?

Alma lets you export your documentation, including notes, assessments, intake forms, and treatment plans, as password-protected PDFs from your account settings. Headway has an export records tool in settings and strongly suggests downloading your notes before you terminate your account, because it refers clients' records requests back to you. Grow Therapy does not publish export instructions publicly.

Does my in-network status transfer when I leave a platform?

Not through the platform. Alma credentials providers in its insurance program under Alma's Tax ID. Headway credentials providers through its own payer agreements, which are separate from any contracts you hold yourself. The exception is BCBS of Texas, which also requires an individual contract, so those clients can keep seeing you in-network after you leave. Grow Therapy says your enrollment won't transfer outside of Grow.

How do I cancel Alma or deactivate Headway?

Alma asks providers to request cancellation through its support team in the Alma Portal rather than through the membership request form. On Headway, solo providers deactivate in their account settings: you are removed from patient search immediately and have 7 days to confirm any outstanding sessions. Group practice members contact Headway. Grow Therapy does not publish its process publicly.

What do Alma, Headway, and Grow Therapy charge providers?

Alma's membership costs $125 a month, or $1,140 a year. Headway keeps a small percentage of session payments and is adding a $9.99 marketplace service fee on appointments with new clients who find you through its marketplace, starting with five states on October 8, 2026 and reaching all states by the end of 2026. Grow Therapy says partnering involves no fees or minimum visit requirements. None of the three publishes its insurance reimbursement rates.