Help me help myself?
January 21, 2011 9:04 AM Subscribe
How do I find a therapist without insurance?
I find myself paralyzed at big life transitions. I need to talk to a therapist about this, especially given that I'm at a huge life transition right now. I need help to get through this.
I'm in a small college town, I'm underemployed and lacking health insurance of any variety, have no access to college services, but am not completely impoverished.
Unfortunately, I am completely without health insurance.
What I need now are resources on how one goes about finding a good therapist with sliding rates. How do I get started? What kinds of searches should I do? Generally speaking... how does one go about finding a therapist they can afford?
Throwaway email: desperatelyneedstherapygirl@gmail.com
I find myself paralyzed at big life transitions. I need to talk to a therapist about this, especially given that I'm at a huge life transition right now. I need help to get through this.
I'm in a small college town, I'm underemployed and lacking health insurance of any variety, have no access to college services, but am not completely impoverished.
Unfortunately, I am completely without health insurance.
What I need now are resources on how one goes about finding a good therapist with sliding rates. How do I get started? What kinds of searches should I do? Generally speaking... how does one go about finding a therapist they can afford?
Throwaway email: desperatelyneedstherapygirl@gmail.com
Seconding TheBones. Just because you're not affiliated with the university doesn't mean that you can't be seen as a patient, or referred to some local therapists that have reasonable rates and sliding scales.
Grad students completing their residency tend to have sessions at very low rates (I had a therapist for $15 per 1 hour session, without using my insurance). If the university has a pretty solid psych graduate program, I would start there.
posted by Shirley88 at 9:45 AM on January 21, 2011
Grad students completing their residency tend to have sessions at very low rates (I had a therapist for $15 per 1 hour session, without using my insurance). If the university has a pretty solid psych graduate program, I would start there.
posted by Shirley88 at 9:45 AM on January 21, 2011
There is a nonprofit called Needymeds whose mission is to direct people to low- or no-cost sources of medication and health care. The site has a searchable database of free/low-cost/sliding-scale clinics nationwide, and many of these clinics offer mental health services. (The database includes info on each clinic's hours, location, cost, and services.)
posted by virago at 9:50 AM on January 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by virago at 9:50 AM on January 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
Times are tough, and more and more people are ending up in your boat insurance-wise (I'm there myself, btw). You'd be surprised how flexible shrinks will be. Call a couple of people and let them know what your situation is. If they can't help you, ask them if they know someone who can. Therapists are the number one evangelists on the value of therapy, and there's no doubt that someone will take you for an extremely reduced rate.
posted by Gilbert at 10:04 AM on January 21, 2011
posted by Gilbert at 10:04 AM on January 21, 2011
I live in a big city, so I don't know how possible this is for you. But I see a therapist through a training institute for that particular discipline (so the therapists are already licensed and all, what they're learning is the specific approach). It's not through health insurance or directly administered by a university, and fees are on a sliding scale. So far it's been a great experience - I don't feel like a guinea pig at all or like my therapist doesn't yet know her stuff.
Is it possible that something like this exists in your town? The reason I throw it out there is that a college town might be more likely to have resources like this.
Also, when my therapist found out I was unemployed, she was able to move me way further down the sliding scale than normal. Definitely let any therapist know about this.
posted by Sara C. at 2:08 PM on January 21, 2011
Is it possible that something like this exists in your town? The reason I throw it out there is that a college town might be more likely to have resources like this.
Also, when my therapist found out I was unemployed, she was able to move me way further down the sliding scale than normal. Definitely let any therapist know about this.
posted by Sara C. at 2:08 PM on January 21, 2011
Contact the health center and possibly the psychology dept at the college, they will know resources in your area.
posted by mbird at 11:36 PM on January 21, 2011
posted by mbird at 11:36 PM on January 21, 2011
Many therapists will do a sliding scale and maybe even give you a discount.
posted by beebers at 11:22 AM on January 24, 2011
posted by beebers at 11:22 AM on January 24, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
I would also suggest calling the university to find out if they have community oriented services. I know the university near me has some that allow people outside of the university to use for a very reduced price (as in $10 to $60 a session).
posted by TheBones at 9:08 AM on January 21, 2011