I recently opened up to you all about my experience going to therapy the past 6 (almost 7) months now & received an overwhelming response of gratitude for my vulnerability and questions. So now that you know why, when and how I started therapy I want to help you take that leap yourself, in the easiest way possible. Read further for tips on financing therapy, finding the right therapist and online/mobile therapy resources.
Online Resources & Apps
Here are a few resources to help narrow down your initial search, or easily access therapists on the go. The keys are filtering out the practices that don’t accept your insurance and/or filtering out the therapists that don’t have experience in what you’re seeking to address. Lastly, be sure that your therapist is easily accessible.
- Douglas Psychotherapy: the practice in NYC where I found my therapist
- Talkspace: an online & mobile resource to access therapists on the go, affordably
- Betterhelp: another online & mobile resource to access therapists on the go affordably
- Regain: Online therapy resource for couples
- Teen Counseling: Online therapy resource for teens age 13-19
- Pride Counseling: Online therapy resource for the LGBTQ+ community
Finding a Therapist: What to Consider in Your Search
Now that you’ve narrowed down your search and found a few potential therapists, here are the factors you should consider before making a concrete decision.
- Have a phone screen session first. I had a 15 minute conversation with my therapist for free where we discussed why I was seeking therapy & how she could help me. I asked all my questions and she was honest about her therapy style and experience, which happened to be just what I was looking for. From this conversation alone I felt a natural fit and much more comfortable meeting her in person.
- Questions to ask: What is their therapy “style”? What do they specialize in? (LGBTQ+, couples, children, substance abuse, POC, young adults etc.) Are they available for phone sessions in the case you can’t physically make therapy? Are they available outside of session hours? Can you text? (This is especially important if you have an unsafe circumstance such as physical abuse or self-harming thoughts).
- Evaluate. How comfortable did you feel with your therapist? Were they conversational and personal or professional and partial? Did you feel rushed? Were they quick to diagnose you with a condition or suggest medication? Do you feel comfortable enough that you could tell this person your most personal information?
- Go with your gut instinct. Finding a therapist is like dating in that you may have to try out a few before finding the right fit, but you will know when you’ve found “the one”.
The Finances: How Can I Afford Therapy?
Although therapy is a luxury, I knew affording it wouldn’t be realistic if I didn’t treat it as a necessity. I see therapy as a non-negotiable like healthcare because for me it is, so financially I approach it the same way. My current insurance covers $75 per one-hour session and my copay (out of pocket cost) is $100 per session. I find that therapy is most effective for me when I go weekly. So on average I’m paying $400/month out of pocket, with the exception of holiday weekends and occasional vacations.
Keep in mind your cost for therapy may look totally different from mine based on numerous factors. So it’s important to know what your insurance covers and how often you can afford to go. Once you’ve chosen a therapist & know exactly what your insurance covers vs. what you have to pay out of pocket, it’s time to budget.
How to Budget
- Pull out your recent bank statement and highlight each category of expenses in a different color. Green for necessities (groceries, hygiene products), blue for bills, red for “luxuries” (shopping, eating out, uber). Tally up how much you spent per category. This will make clear where you are overspending and what you can cut back on.
- Get strict. I’ve had weeks where I’ve spent well over $100 on just eating out, that’s a therapy session. Being more strict on what I spend unnecessarily allowed me to make room for sessions.
- Make it a priority. Treat your monthly therapy cost as if you just got a new bill for your house that you absolutely can’t avoid. You wouldn’t make excuses for your landlord so don’t make excuses for your mental health.
- Be realistic. After going through your budget maybe all you can afford are bi-weekly or even monthly sessions. That’s okay, something is better than nothing! Make the most of each session by asking your therapist to give you “homework” that you can work on between sessions and take it seriously!
- My therapist once gave me an assignment to think of something she can improve on as a therapist. It was awkward at first but it helped me practice effectively communicating in a relationship and getting comfortable with setting boundaries.
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If you have any questions, feel lost or confused in your search please feel free to reach out to me here in the comments, contact page or dm’s on Instagram @alexistheg. Good luck on your search, have patience and keep the end goal in mind: a happy, healthy YOU.
Love,
G