What if I can't afford to pay for therapy?

I'm all for affordable mental health care. In fact, I feel it's my mission to encourage individuals to:

1) take the stigma out of seeing a therapist

2) take care of your emotional health like it's physical health, dental health etc.

3) find the right therapist.

However, the 'right' therapist may be unaffordable for many.

Below is a list compiled by the wonderful people at webmag Brokelyn on Really Cheap Therapy. I have also included a couple that were recommended to me. I cannot personally vouch for the quality of any of these services, but they are worth checking out if you need someone that is free or charge a very very low fee. 

Research Studies

New York University (NYU) psychology graduate students recruit the general public to participate in PAID studies e.g. Adult AHDH Program.

Columbia Psychiatry also has research studies.  They are either free or will pay for participants' time. Many do require medication as part of the study. They have a separate therapy focused Trauma and PTSD Center and Substance Treatment and Research Service (STARS).

Support Groups

Mood Disorders Support Group (MDSG) and monthly pay-what-you-wish lecture series focus on mental health topics such as treatment, managing stress, anxiety, and sleep disorders.

The National Alliance on Mental Health New York City (NAMI-NYC Metro) also has monthly support groups.

Sliding Scales

The Academy of Cognitive Therapy provides a national list of low cost Cognitive Therapists.

Kings County Hospital Center’s Behavioral Health Center offers therapy on a sliding scale from $15-20 a session based on your financial situation. Call 718-245-2727 for more information.

The South Beach Psychiatric Center is based out of Staten Island, but they have several locations in Brooklyn.

The Columbia Center for Psychoanalytic Training and Research has sliding scale service for licensed psychiatrist or psychologist.

The Postgraduate Centre for Mental Health have several locations in Manhattan and Brooklyn. They are predominantly staffed by Social Work, Psychology and Psychiatry trainees that offer reduced rates. They are closely supervised by licensed mental health practitioners.  

Read the original article here