When You Can’t Afford Therapy

Healing

When You Can’t Afford Therapy

When I look back at my trauma–healing journey, I wish I had known that therapy is not “expensive.” I would have reaped the benefits of healing much sooner if someone had shared the concepts below with me. I’m sharing this information to help other sexual trauma survivors who struggle with the misconception that healing is out of their reach, because they “can’t afford therapy.”

Sliding scale therapy is a system under which the price for therapy is based on your income. A simple online search can help you determine if this is available near you.
Many new health insurance plans cover therapy. (This is a more recent benefit that was not available when I first started therapy 20 years ago.)
Some churches and organizations host support groups for sexual trauma survivors. As mentioned in a prior article, for example, St. Martin Episcopal church has a support group for sexual trauma survivors called Hearts Transformed.
When none of the above choices are available, lifestyle changes can mitigate depression and anxiety. Many modern therapists are recommending the following self-care to help.
- Stress Management/Reduction (Including Healthy Boundaries)
- Nutrition (Includes Significantly Cutting Sugar Consumption)
- Exercise/Movement
- Sleep/Rest
- Mindfulness
- Connection (Self, Higher Power, Community, Friends, Family, Nature)
- See the website and YouTube video below featuring Steve Ilardi, Professor of Psychology at the University of Kansas, who presents the concepts of lifestyle impact on depression. Many other mental health professionals recommend lifestyle changes to reduce depression.
  - https://tlc.ku.edu/

Even though therapy seems “expensive,” not going through therapy could have disastrous financial consequences. Below are some (but not all) examples from my own life. Which of these apply to you?
- How much income have you lost over the years by not getting promoted due to lack of emotional regulation caused by trauma?
- How much money have you lost by not setting healthy financial boundaries and then being taken advantage of financially?
- How financially devastating was your divorce when you know deep inside that you married for the wrong reasons (trauma-induced low self-esteem,
  desperation, and insecurity)?
- How much money have you wasted on medical costs due to preventable illnesses created by self-neglect rooted deeply in trauma.

Knowledge is power! If I had known the devastating financial consequences of delaying therapy, I would have started immediately instead of “waiting until I could afford it.” I would have searched for sliding scale therapy and support groups. I would have made lifestyle changes sooner. I might retire 15 years later than expected as I make up for so many financial losses. I paid hefty financial penalties for my lack of knowledge!

I felt so much shame about my financial losses that I kept them secret for years. My deep desire is to help other sexual trauma survivors avoid financial disasters by sharing my foolish mistakes. If I can help just one person avoid a trauma-induced financial catastrophe, then my efforts have been worthwhile.