How to Get Help When You Can't Afford Counseling

Many times the very people who need counseling are the people who just can't afford it. What should they do? Should they suffer silently?

If you're in need of counseling but lack the finances, take heart. There are several ways to obtain the help you need. Realize that you don't have to be affluent to get the help you need. Here are some suggestions for getting your emotional needs met as well as support during your time of need...

First, determine the severity of your need. Sometimes people believe they need a professional counselor to help them through a crisis when all they really need is a good support group or listening ear from caring friends. For example, if you're a parent going through trauma because of a rebellious teen, perhaps you could find a tough love group in your area to get the emotional support you need yourself. As for your troubled teenager, many local and state governmental agencies, such as county and state mental health centers, offer free counseling to teens.

Most communities have mental health centers that help individuals, as well as families in crisis. You can usually find such a counseling center in your telephone yellow pages. For emergencies go to http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/hotlines/state.asp, Where you can find your state's Hotline number for life-threatening emergencies.

If you're a battered woman seeking help, then call 1-800-572-2782 where a 24 hour/7 day a week hotline helps women not only with counseling but with keeping them and their children safe. Again, there's no fee.

Pastors also counsel people in a crisis. Don't be too proud to let your pastor help you when you feel you just can't go on without some needed counseling. If you're not a church member, look in your telephone directory yellow pages and call a pastor. It just make open the door to a new beginning as you seek out spiritual help and find support in God and His people. Most pastors lovingly offer their services for free. But if you feel better about repaying them and don't have the finances, then I'm sure they can find some work to be done around their church.

What's more, many churches offer small groups in members' homes where they log in each week and share their problems. Sometimes just having caring ears to hear and shoulders to cry out helps when as you're able to get your problems out in the open, rather than keep them stuffed inside of you.

Those with addictions have found valuable help through attending 12 step meetings. Although donations are welcome, these meetings are free. Here you won't receive any judgment for what you say. There are 12 step meetings for a variety of addictions ranging from drugs, alcohol, nicotine, overeating, etc. Although at the meetings, you won't get advice, often times your sponsor is more than happy to help you. What's more, you're encouraged to take phone numbers of others in the meetings and make calls.

If you do need counseling, but don't have insurance coverage to pay a professional, then check to see if you can pay for your service by volunteering. I have a friend who's been volunteering for local charities and organizations for years to pay for her on-going counseling for depression.

Also note that many counseling centers operate on a sliding scale of fees. In other words, you'd be charged a percentage of your income, rather than a flat fee that wouldn't be affordable to your budget.

Finally, remember that you don't have to suffer alone. There's always help when you need counseling. You just have to look for it, and then be humble enough to receive it.