Guest post from Jessica of Homemaking Through the Church Year
If there’s anything sure beside death and taxes, it’s life itself. Life goes on despite tragedy and misfortune, and so ordinary people find themselves in need of counseling in order to deal with life’s bumps and bruises — and such help usually comes with an expensive price tag.
However, counseling doesn’t necessarily need to be a budget breaker.
Tough economic times might prompt people to deal with common stressors (depression, divorce, or parenting difficulties) on their own, but the truth is that counseling sessions don’t have to cost half as much as your weekly grocery bill.
If you find yourself in the market for expert assistance in psychological matters, consider these resources for finding top-notch care without paying top-of-the-line prices.
1. Your insurance.
Some health insurance plans cover psychotherapy as such, but even if yours doesn’t, make an appointment with your primary care physician. He or she can either refer you, or possibly offer some treatment themselves.
(If the psychological problem is treatable with medication, some physicians are comfortable prescribing it. This is completely dependent on your situation, of course, but it’s worth making an appointment in order to find out.)
2. Your HR department.
You may be allowed to set aside part of your salary, pre-tax, to pay for counseling sessions. Check with your human resources department for more information.
3. Local colleges or universities.
Institutes of higher education with counselor-training programs often offer counseling at a reduced price so that their students can learn their trade. Don’t worry about receiving inexpert help: in clinical psychology programs, quality control is assured by overseeing doctors who are licensed and experienced.
4. For-Profit counseling centers in your area.
Don’t dismiss an expensive-looking clinic right away. Many clinics have sliding scales based on income, and if you qualify, you can get $100 an hour help at a much cheaper price. Make sure you call around too as prices vary by clinic.
5. Community clinics.
On top of regular, for-profit counseling centers, many communities have counseling centers clinics that are intentionally set up for low-cost care. Straight Talk in the Los Angeles area is just one example of such an institution. To find such a clinic in your area, check:
- Your city hall — Local governments often list such resources on their websites.
- Your local hospital — Hospitals also often have resource referral lists.
- Google — of course!
6. A local church.
Pastors regularly provide counseling for couples with marital difficulties or parents who need a little guidance.
It takes a bit of legwork, but help for mental health issues doesn’t have to be an impossible dream — and the benefits can greatly outweigh the up-front expenses.
Have you found any other ways to save on counseling?
Jessica Snell is a mom of four who makes her home in sunny Southern California. She loves celebrating the traditional Christian feasts and fasts, and helping others do the same! She’s the editor of “Let Us Keep the Feast“, and blogs at Homemaking Through the Church Year.
Erica says
I know this post is old, but there is now online counseling. There are a couple of sites whose names I can’t remember right now, but you can pay by the week or month, and you basically send messages to the therapist. I’ve never used it but it seems like it could work if you don’t have a good counselor nearby or can’t get there due to your schedule. They do abide by HIPAA privacy laws.
Tricia says
http://nameonline.net/name-centers/
Type in your zip code and see if there is a church near you that has certified marriage specialists (CMS) – i believe the price is often just for the materials as the CMS couples volunteer their time
Emily says
These are excellent suggestions. However, I also want to add that sometimes the high price tag is worth paying. We spent a year spending an equal amount on groceries for our family of five, and one marriage counseling session each week. For our family, it was entirely worth it.
Emily says
I am a counselor-in-training at a university and we offer our services at a greatly discounted rate, sometimes free if the clients are unable to pay for it. I highly encourage any and everyone who feels that they could benefit from talking to someone to do it; in my opinion, everyone could benefit from counseling! So try it out!
Sally says
After suffering losses of several family members (including my beloved mother) within a few years time, I finally realized that I needed grief counselling. My local hospice offers free grief counselling for up to a year. It saved me in many ways. I will be forever grateful to the wonderful, compassionate staff there. I make an effort to donate to this non-profit hospice as often as possible.
Rachel says
Here is a web site where you can find a Biblical counseling certified counselor in your area. I believe these counselors do not charge any money. http://Www.biblical counseling.com/counselors
Luann says
This post is important but be forewarned that choosing a counselor is not like choosing a doctor for physical ailments. There is a wide array of values , theories, and world views that come into play in this field. It is worth the effort to not “settle” . If you are a Christian, please ask your church for names of counselor a they recommend. Or contact focus on the family for a referral in your area. I love the Skype option for those unable to find someone. Fight for your family . Fight for your marriage. Fight for healthy relationships.
c says
Haven’t seen it mentioned yet but veterans qualify for completely free counseling, don’t know specifics for each case but the number of sessions probably depends on the type of problem and you can even request additional ones if there’s a need. For marital counseling there are sessions together and individual ones.One being a veteran qualifies both.
Ellen says
THANK YOU for posting this!!! I am so glad to see this topic open for discussion and so many valuable community resources being mentioned. Mental health is SO important, and everyone needs a third-party listener at some point in their lives. DO NOT suffer alone!
Amy says
I’m so glad you posted this! As an LPC/I, I agree with these suggestions and wish more people knew about the less expensive options available. I did my internship in a Christian private practice, the rate for student interns was only $10/hr; so much more affordable! And the sliding scales for LPC/I’s started at $40/hr.
Amy says
I’m so glad you posted this! A
Danielle Hull says
A local church offers counseling at a very reasonable $40/hour and has undergrads available for $10/hour while they are in school for their Master’s!
Mollie says
I wish there were a list like this for parents paying for DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) or CBT (Cognitive Behavior Therapy). If you or a loved one has Borderline Personality Disorder, meds are a very small portion of treatment. DBT is essential and is currently not covered by even Blue Cross Blue Shield Federal insurance. :/
Ambrosia says
We don’t have a counselor close enough to drive to, at least not one who isn’t a personal friend. So we started looking for a counselor who would be willing to Skype. We found one we liked, and qualified for the sliding scale but still could only afford to “meet” once per month. Because he wanted to meet with us more often, and had never tried Skype counseling before, he offered to work with what we could afford to pay… He said he thought it would be a good learning experience for him as Video Counseling may be the future of counseling. We both are benefiting.
Anonymous says
Thank you for this much-need post—I believe everyone ought to go to counseling at some point or another.
And the suggestions above are all great ones….yet another resource would be what I used a long time ago: The local Domestic Violence Women’s Shelter—and I wasn’t even staying at the shelter. The therapists at our local one were really, really inexpensive and very experienced.
Michelle says
I work in HR and we have the Employee Assistance Program . It allows employees to visit a vines lie up to three times for each incident. Personally my husband and I used the church for couples counseling and it was wonderful. I also go to a counselor and my medical insurance pays for it. I know someone on here said be careful to use your insurance but for me it’s never been a problem.
Naomi says
Also, if you are having a one-time problem, Focus on the Family has a 1-800 number you can call and have 1 free phone session with a Christian counselor.
heather cargill says
Thanks so much for this important and often overlooked topic! Maybe try to look up local non-profit counseling too, in our area our hospice offers totally free counseling up to 20 sessions with a licensed counselor when it’s grief related. They never ask for a penny. I used them when I lost my brother, was 8 months pregnant with a 2 year old son and thought I was going to lose my mind, it really saved me because I knew I needed help but we could have never afforded the $150 or more per session costs that counselors and therapists here charge. Also don’t know if other states/areas have this but here on the CA coast we have a local 411 phone # that can direct you to free/inexpensive local counseling/therapy and help. Either way, make sure to take the time and resources necessary to take care of yourself, mental health issues can lead to physical heath issues….Thanks again for this post!
Shirley says
Most colleges/universitites offer free counseling if you are a student. It is a great benefit that your tuition covers. Also, most companies have EAP programs that you can utilize for free phone counseling for a few sessions – as well as free legal resources, etc if needed. And lastly, the United Way in your area can provide you with the names of counseling offices/programs that offer sliding fees based on income and/or free services. If you need help, please seek out resources or ask someone you trust to help you find resources! DON’T suffer alone!
Jennifer says
Another good resource is your Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Most companies provide EAP benefits to their employees and household members regardless of whether or not they have health insurance. EAP benefits often include some short-term counseling services at no cost.
Lety @ On A Roll to Better Living says
These are wonderful suggestions. Thank you for this post. I’d like to add a few points.
I am not sure if it is standard that insurances cover costs for a psychiatrist, but when possible, it is best the psychiatrist be the one to prescribe meds for depressions, anxiety, etc. While I’m certain there are many wonderful doctors out there, a psychiatrist will do a proper evaluation and explore the best treatment options. It is sometimes difficult to get the right treatment going. A psychiatrist is much more knowledgeable and better apt to help. If your insurance doesn’t cover psychiatrists’ visits, many community mental health centers have psychiatrists on site who provide services for a fraction of what they normally charge.
Also, many workplaces have Employee Assistance Programs (EAP). These are usually outside of the work site. They provide short term counseling. If the counselors note a need for more intensive services, they will refer out. If you are concerned about others knowing you are seeking counseling, just ask to review your benefits. The EAP information should be available on the list, if your workplace provides this benefit.
Finally, if your city/town has an information number, you can obtain information on low cost counseling services from them, too, In Chicago, that number is 311.
Thanks again for such a valuable post, Jessica! : )
Lindsay says
You can also dial 2-1-1 in most areas in the country, toll-free. They list nonprofit and government human service agencies, including counseling agencies.
Jessica says
I used the university’s counseling service when I was a graduate student and the care I received was phenomenal.
Rebecca says
Just to note, some states have mental health insurance for the needy who do not have coverage for mental health services. In TN, it’s called Saftey Net. I had it for a while when I didn’t have insurance, and it paid for counselling, case management, psychiatrist appointments, and some meds.
Wendy says
I work for a psychiatrist if someone calls without insurance the doctor always has me reference a community mental health facility. Between paying cash for the appointment and the meds it can get very pricy. Some patients that call have addiction issues in addition to mental health. One great service is heretohelp.com. They will even help set up an appointment and find a local doctor for you. Don’t ever give up their is help out there for you.
Meg says
Many companies in my state offer counseling sessions for free through something called the Employee Assistance Program.
Basically, the idea is that the company would rather pay for a couple of sessions to get you help then lose your productivity as a worker while you deal with depression/divorce etc. etc.etc….I think it’s really smart.
I’m not sure how you find out whether your company offers it and/or what states. I’m in Washington State, and it’s offered by lots of big ones, and by the school district I work for.
Lana says
Be careful about calling HR. A man we know was fired after contacting HR for counseling and is seems that it was only the saying that he needed some counseling that was the cause.
Erin says
That would be illegal. Plus, mental health as well as any other medical information is confidential, even if going through HR.
Lana says
Yes and that man is a lawyer but he knew better than to take on a Fortune 500 company.
Lora says
Along this line, going through your insurance can sometimes cause difficulties when applying for new coverage or life insurance. Yes, people are not supposed to be discriminated against for seeking help, but it does happen. Same with treatment for substance abuse. It just all boils down to risk and money for the companies. Not sure how things will go with the new health care law but in the past this has been the status quo, unfortunately.
Maryalene, Social Media Angel for SavingsAngel.com says
Just an FYI: If you bought/buy health insurance on the government exchanges, you should have some counseling coverage. Mental health services are one of the ten essential health benefits all new plans must now cover.
Keiva says
I may have missed this but you can also write counseling off on your taxes under medical. This has helped us tremendously. Also ask your counselor if he he would consider a sliding scale due to your financial situation. That is what we did and he dropped his rate by $25. Also make sure you are going to a Christian counselor, it makes all the difference, believe me.
sally says
There are many excellent counselors who are not Christians. And I am sure there are many mediocre or non-ethical counselors that are. Believe me, I’ve had experiences with both.
Amanda says
ITA Sally……It does not matter the religious preference of the therapist…there are bad apples in every bunch. I saw a non-religious therapist and she helped me tremendously.
Kim says
I work at a Seminary that offers counseling. Our interns are supervised and trained and offer excellent counseling services.
The rate is a suggested $20 per session, but I believe it is free if you are unable to pay. Insurance is not necessary. This is a great service that they have offered for many, many years.