Volunteers, Hotlines, and Crisis Intervention

It might not be your first preference but if finding traditional therapy isn’t looking promising there are still so many resources available to you. Don’t give up hope!

Volunteer Apps

Many therapists offer a sliding scale which means that they offer therapy at a variety of price points depending on your income. That therapist will have a “regular fee” or a “starting fee” and then go lower from there if you can explain your financial situation and how that initial fee would make therapy impossible for you. Each therapist runs their practice differently, some might have just a few low fee spots they offer (that might all be full) or maybe they are willing to negotiate with each client individually. While it might not work out you should ask any therapist that you come in contact with if they offer a sliding scale. It costs you nothing and could save you a lot of money.

Therapists are more likely to give a client a break on fee if they feel like the client is committed to the work of therapy. Therapy isn’t like going to a surgeon who is going to do the surgery and then you go home better. It’s more like physical therapy where the doctor is there with you but expects you to do the hard work during the session and at home. If you can make it clear to the therapist that you’re really wanting to see change and are committed to the work, the process, and the time but just can’t manage the money they might be more willing to give you a break and want to work with you.

Hotlines

Some therapists might go further than just a sliding scale and even reserve a few free spots for those who can’t afford therapy in their case load. Generally therapists are people who want to do good in the world and understand how society and systems make it difficult for certain people to access the resources they need. To counteract this they can offer not just to reduce their fee but to dismiss it all together. Again, this is probably going to be rare because therapists do need to make money to survive (and to payoff their school loans) but you should check to see.

Some psychological or therapeutic codes of ethics suggest or require that therapists carry a certain percentage of clients at low or no fee This is in order to make sure that the general community also benefits from mental health services and not just those that can pay full fee.

One site that focuses on connecting people with therapists that are willing to donate their time and services is Give An Hour. If pro bono is the way you want to go this might be a good place to start.

Crisis Intervention

If individual face-to-face therapy isn’t seeming like an option there are still options available to you! Instead of negotiating with the therapist and trying to adjust a fee…you can adjust the format of therapy. Try looking for group therapy instead. There are almost unlimited kinds of groups out there. From ones focusing on anxiety, depression, identity issues, trauma, self-esteem, or support for almost any other experience or struggle one might have. Group therapy usually costs significantly less than individual therapy, potentially 50-75% less. While group therapy is cheaper and has a wide range of types it can also be a little harder to find.

As you’re contacting individual therapists you can always ask them if they lead any groups or if they’re aware of any groups in your area. Therapists are always giving out referrals so it’s likely that they may know of some or might be willing to do a little research for you even if you’re not ever going to become a client of theirs.