# Finding a *cheap* therapist. Or perhaps life coach.



## Zima (Jul 6, 2011)

Let me start out by saying I LOVE therapy. I looked forward to those visits every time, and they always helped. Just having someone hear me out went a long way, and if the person has experience with similar issues himself or has spoken to others who had similar experiences and found solutions, his advice can and has been very useful.

I used to talk to a therapist on and off for a while during college, and it was free and confidential since I was in school. But now that I've graduated that service is no longer available for me. I would really like to speak to someone again, and I've tried finding something in my area but all I can find is private practice places that charge around $150 per session.

I'm currently inbetween jobs so I'm on my mother's insurance, and I'd rather not discuss this with her. Is it possible to find something relatively cheap? Under $50/session, preferably. Even if it's only for a couple visits.

The main thing for me is - they do NOT have to have 10 years of experience of even their PhD. As long as they GET IT. Of course, I suppose it'd be illegal for someone like that to do counselling, but someone who just got their license would do just fine.


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## RetroDoll (Jun 25, 2011)

There's a lot of people in the U.S without health insurance right now because of the economy and stuff. I don't have any idea how much the sessions would cost you and I don't know how doable these options are for you but I will suggest them anyways: 

- Call the county and see if there is a facility that offers counseling/family therapy to low income residents. There's 2 or 3 places in the small suburban town where I live. When I didn't have a job, I used to go to a lady who worked at one of these places. I think the rates are reduced b/c they are not PH.D like you said and they may be residents of their psychiatric program. 

- I used to work in a medical billing dept. at a doc's office and I know that Medicaid/Medicare will pay for mental health treatment and medication. Whether they pay in full or 80% I have no idea. So if you're not receiving that you might want to call and find out if you're eligible. 


- Call the unemployment office and ask them about options for therapy if you can't afford it. 

- I know you said you don't want to but you might have to bite the bullet (temporarily) and use your mom's health insurance. Think about the possibly of not having any bill at all with this option! You are 23 right? The therapist is not allowed to discuss your business with your parent, even if they call and ask. The exception you probably already know is if you're an immediate danger to yourself or someone else.

Those are the things I came up with. gl.


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## percyblueraincoat (Jun 2, 2009)

I have little experience with the American health care system in terms of therapy, insurance all that stuff. But I would urge you not to focus on finding someone CHEAP. Cheap is not going to automatically equate to good.

I recognise that, particularly in this economy, the cost of therapy can seem like a lot. Try training as a therapist if you want to experience chucking money out of an open window. LOL. But making the criteria that the therapist be cheap above all else won't solve any problems or issues. 

That's not me sticking up for the private therapists even though I am a private therapist myself (at the moment). By all means find some sort of funded scheme if you can where someone else pays some of the costs or provides a service for unemployed people or people with little money or whatever. 

Just be careful of making it about the cost.


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## Hideko (Jul 2, 2011)

In the same boat as Zima, now that I'm not working lost my insurance and can't afford treatment. But what joinmartin said just makes so much sense, it's not just about the cost it's about the quality, what's the point in finding some cheap treatment just because it's cheap, odds are good it wouldn't help, problem here in the states you have very little money then you suffer and it makes it so much harder to get better, least I'm unaware if there's any alternatives.:no


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## pita (Jan 17, 2004)

Look for one of those studies where they're testing out some form of therapy. That's how I got a bunch of therapy for free.


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## Hideko (Jul 2, 2011)

^^ Good idea, I'll look into that, bet there's something out there. Have a feeling there might be because a few years ago was in treatment and my therapist said the a local college needed some 'test' patients for a project, 1/2 a week, just wanted to ask some questions and monitor certain things on a weekly basis, but the kicker was for that 1/2 a week they gave me $25, didn't really need the money then but thought that was a cool thing, now I need the money, hope they still have it.... sorry, my mind wanders.:afr

PS- Pita, still remember that Martha and The Muffins song you put in the 80's thread, that's one of my all time tunes, bought a CD of theirs just for that one tune.


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## Zima (Jul 6, 2011)

If i want somebody to just listen and hear me out - and I mean honestly listen - and offer some advice. Anybody that's been doing therapy for a while should be able to do so unless they have no business working with people AT ALL...It's the $200+ people that I'm more skeptical of - it's always a snobby looking middle aged man too, they look more like business owners than therapists. 

But you're right, a cheap one may not be ideal as well - I just absolutely can not afford anything else right now. I was wondering if there's some kind of community help centers that do this sort of thing but I've tried searching and no luck so far.


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