Therapy can be profoundly beneficial for mental health, but it’s one of the most inaccessible and affordable forms of health care in America (and that really says something when you consider the state of our health system). Some parts of the country are so-called mental health deserts because there are not enough practitioners (if any) in the area to care for the needs of the population. In general, there are far fewer psychologists and psychiatrists in this country than are needed to cover the steadily growing need for care.

In addition to these challenges, therapy is extremely expensive for most people. The average therapy session can cost $ 200 or more. That’s a simple excuse not to dive into therapy, which can also be an emotionally uncomfortable prospect.

But as mentioned earlier, therapy can be an effective treatment for mental health problems like anxiety and depression. It can also help you better master relationship and career challenges. Therefore, it should not be avoided if you feel called to do so! If this is your first time considering seeing a psychologist, here are a few things that can be helpful beforehand.

How to start therapy for the first time: 7 tips

Of those interviewed by Hims & Hers, the to have 87 percent said they prefer online sessions to face-to-face sessions. Therefore, your computer can be a good starting point if you’ve never tried therapy before. Since the beginning of the pandemic, many providers have expanded their offerings to include online therapy sessions, but there are also providers such as Talkspace, BetterHelp, Frame, Real and more that offer targeted digital therapy offers.

The beauty of using one of the latter providers is that they can do the work for you to match you with the right therapist; Otherwise, you will simply shoot in the dark with no recommendation.

And if you’re not a fan of video calling, rest assured, it’s not your only option in digital therapy. Instead, you can opt for telephone or text-based therapy.

If you’d prefer to grow old in a local therapist office, licensed therapist Minaa B, LMSW recommends using resources like BetterHelp or Psychology Today to find options near you. From there, she suggests narrowing down your search results to two or three therapists. Many therapists offer the first session free of charge so that both parties can assess whether it is a good fit.

If you are looking for culturally literate care – also known as therapy from someone who understands firsthand your experience of race, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, etc. – you should start with one of the following resources instead: therapy for black girls; Black female therapists; Ayana; the National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network; the Association of LGBTQ + Psychiatrists; Including therapists; and / or melanin and mental health.

3. Understand the different forms of therapy

One size doesn’t fit everyone when it comes to therapy; There are different approaches to dealing with different types of problems. For example, interpersonal therapy is designed to treat mental health problems that arise or are fueled by relationships in your life. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a science-based treatment that has been shown to be effective in treating depression, anxiety, substance abuse, eating disorders, and severe mental illness. Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a therapy used to treat borderline personality disorders, suicidal ideation, and people who otherwise harm themselves. Psychodynamic therapy looks at your past to resolve current problems by examining their origins, helping you identify patterns of behavior over time, and much more. Humanistic therapy takes a positive approach to personal growth by focusing on a person’s good qualities and behaviors and using them to make positive changes in their life. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is used to treat post-traumatic stress disorder. And then there are also therapeutic options that are not isolated, such as couple counseling and group therapy.

4. Get creative with funding your therapy

One of the biggest barriers to entry for most people seeking therapy is cost. Many mental illness providers these days do not accept insurance, and even if they do, weekly sessions can be difficult to adequately cover.

What you may not know, however, is that, thanks to the Affordable Care Act, your employer is actually required to provide mental health services. So as long as you are not self-employed, you should expect your company to pay on your behalf (if your provider is online). But since many providers forego insurance partnerships entirely, this advantage often doesn’t mean much.

Still, don’t be immediately put off by the prices listed on a practitioner’s website. Often times, providers offer their services in a tiered manner, which means you can essentially bargain for a lower price if you can’t afford the full cost.

Digital therapy also tends (but not always!) To be cheaper than its on-site counterpart. So this is a path that you might want to explore if you can’t find face-to-face sessions that will suit your budget.

And to fill the accessibility gap caused by systemic racism in this country, organizations like Black Girls Breathing and Sad Girls Club are providing some affordable and even free therapy options for the BIPOC community.

Therapy For Women founder Amanda White, LPC also recommends seeing a nurse psychiatrist (PMHNP) for treatment instead of a traditional psychologist or psychiatrist. These nurses are specially trained in psychiatric care and can provide therapy and prescribe medication – usually at a lower cost than other therapists.

Many universities and government departments also offer free therapy sessions, according to Jasmine Marie, founder of Black Girls Breathing. Unfortunately, there is no easy way to get these services – you just have to research online to find out.

If you’re nervous about revealing your soul to a complete stranger, you can comfort yourself with the fact that your first session with a therapist can go as deep or stay as shallow as you feel comfortable, says clinical counselor Rachel O ‘ Neill, PhD who works with online therapy company Talkspace. She recommends letting your therapist know if you’re feeling anything more open. (For example: turn off your video when you’re doing digital therapy, or leave voice notes instead of texting when you’re doing text therapy.) No matter how you set yourself up, you just know that at least it probably is will be a little awkward at first – this is perfectly normal and to be expected.

Once you have settled into therapy a little, you may experience a “therapy hangover” that makes you feel worse rather than better after each session. However, this is not a license to run for the mountains. The reason why you don’t feel so good after a therapy session is that you are more vulnerable than you are probably used to, that you are challenged to change and you do the hard work to make that change. all of this is awkward to say the least.

In fact, therapy hangovers are a good sign, says psychotherapist Jennifer Silvershein, LCSW. “If therapy feels exhausting, it means you’re making a real change,” she says.

Stopping therapy is super awkward, but Minaa says it’s not your job to worry about your therapist’s feelings. In fact, she explains, professionals are trained to endure discomfort – so they can deal with rejection. If you do not feel that you are benefiting from their services, you can and should stop anytime. (But don’t try to stop because of # 6 above!)

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