Your Mind Your Body

We all know that the economy has been in the dumps for the better part of a year, and there are few of us who have been unaffected by the downturn.  Many of us have started slashing our budgets:  no more movies, eating out, or manicures.  We’re working more hours (if we can get them), holding onto our money, and according to the American Psychological Association’s 2008 survey, feeling more stressed than ever!  Most people know psychologists can help folks manage stress and anxiety – but with the stranglehold we have on our wallets, who can afford therapy?  The answer might surprise you.  See below for strategies to make psychotherapy accessible and affordable on most any budget.

1. Ask your Human Resources department if your company offers an Employment Assistance Program (EAP).  EAP’s allow employees access to free or extremely low cost mental health treatment for 1-8 sessions.  Who can turn down something that’s free?
2.  Check out opportunities for group psychotherapy in your community.  Anger management groups, parenting education groups, new moms groups, and groups for children are effective, interactive, and generally lower in price than individual psychotherapy sessions.
3. Talk to your psychologist about treatment frequency and length.  Gone are the days when participating in therapy meant being stuck on the couch once a week for years on end.  There are many disorders, issues, and problems that can be successfully treated in more infrequent meetings (i.e. 1-2 times per month) and require less of a time commitment for success.  In my practice, many clients successfully end treatment after 5-10 sessions.  This means you can probably get the help you need without breaking the bank!
4. Check out resources in your community for therapy done at low cost, or on a sliding scale.  Community mental health centers, university and medical center training programs, and religious organizations often offer high-quality services at bargain prices. 
5. Look for free resources offered by psychologists in your community and online.  While not the same as therapy, psychologists all over the country offer free talks, workshops, and seminars on many different topics.  Keep an eye out in newspapers, school bulletins, recreation centers, and libraries for these opportunities.  Additionally, there are many reputable and helpful resources online (www.apahelpcenter.org) that can answer some basic questions about mental health, and help steer folks in the right direction in terms of resources and opportunities. Lastly, many psychologists use Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter (for example, I’m at @drstephsmith on Twitter) to disseminate the latest research and tips on almost every aspect of psychological health.  Again, these resources are not the same as meeting with a psychologist one-on-one, but can be useful in gaining information and tips for healthy living -  at no cost!

Filed under: Being in Therapy