Affordable and Accessible Alternatives When You Can’t Afford Therapy
Get Therapy. It’s a comment we hear all the time. We all know and acknowledge the importance of therapy — yet fail to realize how hard it can be to access. Therapy is expensive for the average American. In a country with poor healthcare structure and stagnating wages, it can make trying to access help incredibly frustrating. With the number of financial, region-based, and stigma related hurdles to getting care it’s not surprising that most people don’t reach out for help or aren’t able to stay in care for as long as they would like to. Despite all this, no need to fear. Just because you don’t have a certain number of zeroes on your paychecks or a fair insurance policy does not mean you can’t access high quality and affordable therapeutic based services! If you want help but can’t afford it there are alternative options out there. Read on for our guide to accessing mental health care on the cheap.
Look for Mental Health Clinicians with Sliding Fee Scales
Therapy for most isn’t cheap. However, there are mental health clinicians out there who are willing to offer sliding fee scales or discounts to self-pay patients that present with financial need. When searching for therapists and counselors in the area be sure to be confident and ask if the clinicians offer a sliding fee scale or need-based discounts. Some community health and mental health focused centers are based on a sliding fee scale model, particular clinics attached to doctoral programs. An example of such a center is the Center Clinic at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. Chase Brexton Health Care, a community clinic that operates in locations throughout Maryland, also operates on this model. Part of the initial assessment at this center is discussing what the person can contribute and if paying in s is an option. There are additionally ways to search for providers that are within your insurance network, via Psychology Now. This site includes a list of therapists in your area, along with their picture, what types of therapy models they follow, what insurance options they accept, as well as what co-pay prices and self-pay prices typically are for their patients. This can aid your search and see if there are care providers within your network that may be a bit more financially feasible.
Explore Tele-Therapy Options
Tele-medicine, which is the reception of medical services via an online platform, is a rising feature of modern medicine. Telemedicine in the form of therapy is a way for people to be able to converse with therapists across the country from the comfort of their own home. Tele-therapy tends to be a bit cheaper and more convenient for individuals, especially those that need to travel far for these services. While not all mental conditions can be diagnosed and treated from a distance, many of the common ones such as depression and anxiety often can. To find tele-therapist you can look at sites such as Talkspace, Better Help, Doctor on Demand or Maven Clinic. Talkspace specifically cost significantly less than traditional therapy, and gives the option for 24/7 communication with a trained professional via text message and/or webcam. You can also inquire if local therapists offer teletherapy over Skype or what not.
Federally Funded Mental Health Programs
Look into federally or research funded programs that provide free therapy services for eligible individuals. The Rebuild, Overcome, and Rise (ROAR) center is a program that runs out of the University of Maryland, Baltimore campus that provides individuals who have experienced a crime in Baltimore City access to legal services, social work services, as well as therapy services for- you guessed it- the free! The crime doesn’t have to be reported for folks to access the services, and if you’re interested in reporting you can talk with the ROAR staff about what doing so would look like. To find out about this program, or programs like this, look into the research and academic centers near you to see what programs are being run that you may be able to utilize. Community health centers are also encouraged by their funders to promote programs like this that their patients may be interested in, so feel free to ask your care provider about any programs they or other members of the care team know about.
Download Mindful Based Apps + Podcasts
If accessing affordable therapy options is still out of your price range, inaccessible in your area, or not available as often as your feel necessary, the next best step is to start with mindfulness based apps. Across iOS and android platforms exist apps that can offer positive messages, daily text affirmations and meditation guidance. Apps such as Shine Text and Calm are great examples of applications that help people to take better care of their mental health. There are also podcasts that center around therapy and mental wellness that are accessible on most streaming platforms, such as Therapy Chat. Therapy Chat is a podcast run by licensed therapist Laura Reagan, LCSW-C, that discuss dealing with anxiety, different forms of depression, and coping with trauma and grief via interviews with other therapists. There are also other mindfulness oriented podcasts such as Therapy for Black Girls, a platform run by licensed psychologist Dr. Joy Harden Bradford, and several sleep and meditation focused podcasts. While these tools may not be an equal exchange for seeing a therapist regularly, they can be used as a supplement in between therapy sessions in the event you cannot go as frequently as you’d like to.
If none of the aforementioned options can work for you, than it can always be time to be creative. If you have a very supportive network around you try to have active listening sessions with them in a way where they can listen to you and your worries. Definitely offer something like a nice dinner on you for their time.
