If you cannot afford the usual costs of therapy, you still have options. You can search for low-cost therapy, get help paying for therapy, or you can try to make use of free therapy options.
Low cost therapy options:
To find low cost therapy options, look for therapists that offer reduced rates for people with financial difficulties. Most therapists will mention if they do this on their websites. If you have a specific therapist in mind, don’t be afraid to contact them and ask – therapists get into their line of work to help people, so many will do their best to help you if they can.
If you don’t have a specific therapist in mind, you can also search in directories by price. If you’re searching PsychologyToday or other therapist directories, you can filter therapists by price to find those that are within your budget, and you can also search for therapists that offer “sliding scale” fees. “Sliding scale” means they will charge less for people who can pay less, and only charge their full fees to people that can afford them.
Another option is group therapy, where a group of people with related problems and a therapist meet regularly for the therapist to guide the group through therapeutic sessions. Group therapy is often less expensive.
You can also investigate local religious groups, charity groups, or health co-ops, as these groups may have therapists that work with them to offer low-cost or free therapy services to group members.
Get help paying for therapy:
If you cannot afford therapy, there are also options you can seek out to help you pay for therapy.
Many workplaces offer employee assistance programs (EAP), which provide free short-term therapy to employees. This is a good option if your problem is something you can address within that timeframe, or if you are unsure about whether you need long-term therapy. You can ask your workplace if you need more information about this option. It is important to be aware that in some cases, EAP therapists might be required to share information with your employer – if this is something you are concerned about, ask your therapist in the first session. You can discuss what will be shared and decide whether you are comfortable continuing.
For therapy that is not attached to your workplace, in Australia, you can visit your GP and get a mental health care plan. A mental health care plan will mean you can get Medicare rebates for up to 10 sessions from some types of therapists, and sometimes you will be able to find bulk-billing therapists. You can not use a mental health care plan to access certain types of therapy, like seeing a counsellor, though this may change in the future.
If you have private health insurance, they may help pay for therapy. Every private health insurance provider is different, so you will need to examine your policy or contact your health insurance to find out what is covered.
If you have a disability in Australia, and your need for therapy is related to your disability, then you may also be able to use the NDIS to pay for therapy. This depends on many factors, so if this applies to you then it’s worth talking it over with your support coordinator to see if you are eligible, and to understand what types of therapy you can access.
Finally, you can ask people for suggestions. GPs, social workers, or people who work in outreach programs often have information about what services are available in your local area. If you approach them and ask about how to access free or low-cost therapy, they may be able to make suggestions about services or therapists that can help you.
Free options:
Free therapy can be hard to find, but there are a few options.
The first option is helplines. You may not be able to access long-term therapy through a helpline, but if you need to talk over a certain issue then you may be able to access free support through a helpline. Helplines usually have options for phone calls, text-based web chats, and occasionally text messages. Check their websites to find out how you can contact them.
Some of the biggest hotlines available in Australia are:
- Lifeline – for if you’re feeling suicidal, or if you are feeling very upset
- Kids Help Line – for people below the age of 25
- MensLine – for men
- Gambling Help Line – for anyone who has trouble with gambling, or who is affected by someone else’s gambling
- 1800 RESPECT – for if you are experiencing family or domestic violence, or if you’ve been sexually assaulted
- Alcohol & Drug Counselling Online – for if you are dealing with alcohol or drug addiction
- QLife – for LGBTQIA+ people, or people who are questioning if they are part of this community
HealthDirect has a longer list of helplines and who they support, if none of the above helplines match your situation.
If you are not in Australia, you can check for helplines in your country on FindAHelpline.com or by searching online.
The second option in Australia is using a service like HeadToHealth. HeadToHealth will assess your needs and then connect you to a service that can help you. If you’re overwhelmed and can’t find any affordable therapy, HeadToHealth is a good place to visit for help. You can visit their website, call them, or, if you live in a capital city, you can visit one of their offices to chat. (Note that they do not usually provide therapy directly – instead, they will tell you about places you can get therapy and help you contact those places.)
The third option, available anywhere in the world, is to use online volunteer-based services. Examples of free services include 7cups.com, where you can choose to connect with a volunteer who listens to you, or social media support groups, such as /r/socialanxiety on reddit. These options are very accessible, but also have varying levels of professionalism, even within one service, as the people providing the services are all volunteers. It is important to be aware of your level of vulnerability when accessing these services – if an unhelpful response would cause you great distress, it may be best to seek professional support instead. It is also important to be aware of privacy concerns when posting publicly – you may intend your post to be used in one way, but others may take the text and use it differently.
Finally, you can also attempt some level of self-therapy. This is unlikely to be fully successful for serious or complex issues, but many people can find some benefit from educating themselves on therapeutic techniques and experimenting with using them in their life. Some examples might be learning about techniques to manage anxiety, or DBT skills for emotional regulation. The important thing to remember with self-therapy is to monitor how it is impacting you – if it’s helping, keep doing it. If it makes things worse, stop! Not every technique is right for every person. If nothing you try is working, seek professional support instead.
Hopefully by making use of some of these resources, you will be able to access therapy that is affordable and beneficial for you.
