Trending Reluctance To See A Therapist
I've noticed - in Listening discussions - of a trending reluctance to see a therapist, especially for issues that require one. I make a particular point in my chats that long-term, complex issues are best handled with professional therapy, and the answers I get back is a concern about cost (first) and location (second).
Indeed, if you do an online search for a list of provider profiles, you'll notice many psychiatrists, psychologists, LSWs, etc., charge anywhere between $75 to $375 to see them (for sessions ranging between 30 minutes to an hour). Money like this - especially during uncertain times like now - is out of reach for many.
However, there are workarounds:
1. If you live in the U.S. (like me) and you're employed (or your spouse is employed) then you have what's called an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) which entitles the individual to between 1 and 5 free therapy sessions, before further sessions are covered by insurance (or out of pocket). Your company's HR is best suited to provide more information.
2. If you live in the U.S., but unemployed/lacking income, the SAMHSA Hotline can provide local resources for mental healthcare, regardless of your income situation. I can attest (from past personal experience) that the resources I was provided with pointed me in the right direction during a time of need with no gainful cash flow.
3. If you live OUTSIDE the U.S., but your employer doesn't have an "EAP" equivalent, or you're unemployed/lacking income, the first point of contact is your local health ministry. If this entity is of no assistance - but you have reliable internet access - then there's no harm done researching/contacting reputable therapists online with video conferencing ability. Although I can't make any promises about what can be *potentially* arranged, therapists are not in the business to just turn anyone away - it's terrible optics and violates the cardinal "first, do no harm" rule. Before I learned about the SAMHSA resource in my jurisdiction, I did my own research online and was surprised what I found. All it required was reaching out.
Although having an active 7Cups Listener is a great resource, it should never be seen as a substitute for therapy. I've been emphasizing this quite a bit, as of late.
I hope this post fits this forum's criteria, is read, and helps someone.
OasisRedbeard