Therapy isn’t always cheap. Nearly 12% of American adults with a diagnosed mental illness don’t have any form of health insurance. For those with coverage, therapy can still be pricey if local therapists don’t accept their particular plan or a high deductible must be reached before financial help kicks in.

If you’re in a position where paying for therapy isn’t an option, you don’t have to suffer through your mental illness alone. Below are affordable options for getting the treatment you need.

Affordable counseling

Counseling can be an effective tool when addressing mental health concerns. Organizations like Valley Oaks Health exist to provide these services to the uninsured and underinsured. Whether you need couples counseling, acute care, individual counseling, or children’s counseling, we will never turn you away for the inability to pay.

Hotlines

If you’re contemplating suicide or have been a victim of sexual assault or domestic violence, emergency intervention is available. Crisis hotlines provide immediate help 24 hours a day, seven days a week at no cost.

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – Call 800-273-TALK (8255) if you or someone you know is in distress. Trained crisis counselors make sure you feel safe and connect you with mental health services, if needed.
• Crisis Text Line – Text HOME to 741741 to message with a trained crisis counselor within a few minutes. As you chat, the counselor will listen to your problem, ask questions, empathize, and help you move from a hot moment to a cool calm.
• National Domestic Violence Hotline – If a partner or family member has physically harmed you, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-SAFE (7233). Trained experts will help you escape a dangerous situation. They can also provide resources and information for those concerned for themselves or others.
• National Sexual Assault Hotline – This free, confidential service connects survivors with trauma-informed staff. Crisis counselors help survivors talk through what happened, provide information about laws in their community, and connect them to local resources and health facilities. Call 800-656-HOPE (4673) or use the online hotline to chat.
  
  

Support groups

Hotlines can provide help in the midst of a crisis, but for most mental health concerns, that’s not enough. Support groups can provide an ongoing way to share and cope with your mental illness. 

Members of a support group often talk through their experiences with others who understand their situation. They can provide a feeling of empathy and support as well as teach healthy coping mechanisms and make recommendations for other treatment avenues.

There are numerous support groups at Valley Oaks that cover a variety of topics like alcohol, substance use, trauma, as well as suicide and depression.
Learn more about our support groups and other affordable ways of coping with mental illness.