I want to go to therapy but can I afford it?
Please don't tell me I'm alone....How many times have you ignored a pain in your leg or a lump that wasn't there before because you were intimidated by the cost to see your doctor. I know I have! (I have a ganglion cysts I'm ignoring as we speak...LOL) It's not much different for our mental health care needs. So many people shy away from therapy because they fear they can not afford to go. We notice that we've been struggling a lot since the loss of a loved one or extremely anxious and overwhelmed when we you go out in public? We want to talk to someone but just unsure where to start. Well I'm here to help with that! Below I've listed three ways to pay for therapy services:
EAP
EAP stands for Employee Assistance Program. Reach out to your employer and verify if your company offers an EAP. Typically, companies provide EAP services at no charge to the employee for a limited amount of visits per year.
Co-Pay
If you have insurance it may be beneficial to reach out to your insurance company and inquire on your behavioral health benefits. Your insurance may cover a portion of your insurance, leaving you with a portion of the fees in the form of a co-pay.
Sliding fee scale
Maybe you do not have EAP or insurance coverage available to you. Many therapist agencies provide sliding fee scales. A sliding fee scale is designed to scale the total cost of services by assessing the client's income, providing services to a client based on their individual affordability.
What's next...
Now that you've determined how to pay for services let's go find the perfect fit for you! Happy Hunting! Check out A Black Female Therapist list of resources or Psychology Today for a list of providers.
