Affordable Counseling is Closer Than You Think

You’ve decided to try counseling.  The use of insurance is not for you (by choice or by circumstances), but you place a great value on counseling services.  However, your wallet does not share that same value. Not to worry, there are affordable options out there for you.

One place to look is at college campuses.  Some colleges with counseling degrees may have low cost clinics in which they train future mental health professionals.  Don’t have one of those, no problem. You may be able to find an intern in some therapy offices which may offer reduced or free counseling sessions while pursuing their graduate degree in the mental health field.  In both cases, clinicians are supervised by one or two other trained therapists. So in this case you are getting 2-3 therapists for the price of one!

Another option is to look for a therapist who offers a sliding scale or reduced fee sessions.  These may be pre-licensed professionals or therapists dedicated to offering affordable counseling to those who may not be able to afford their full fee.  You can find therapists like this by calling offices and asking about sliding scales. If that therapist doesn’t offer then, maybe they know another who does and can point you in right direction.  Some therapists will provide this information on their website or directory pages, such as Psychology Today, as well. But it never hurts to ask when you call if you cannot find this information.

You might also look into the Open Path Psychotherapist Collective to see if there is a therapist in your area who offers set sliding scales.   The fees range from $30-$50 or individuals and $30-$80 for couples and families. You can become an Open Path member for a lifetime membership fee of $49.  These fees go to keeping Open Path up and running since it is a non-profit organization.

Finally, there may be free or reduced counseling in your area.  If you meet certain criteria you may be eligible for free counseling through non-profit organizations.  For example, Give An Hour provides free therapy for military members, veterans, and their families, and those affected by natural disasters and man-made traumas.  NAMI, The National Alliance on Mental Illness, is a great resource in finding local counseling services at an affordable rate and often offer free support group therapy sessions as well.

These are just a few of the affordable counseling options available to you.  Options may vary based on area, of course, but they are closer than you think.  All it takes is a little searching and a few questions.