No Insurance, No Therapist

I HAVEN’T GOT INSURANCE

That’s why you need to call in a trusted person to help you navigate your options.

Fear Not!

There are resources in your community!

The challenge is getting connected with those resources.

If you are in a really bad place, it can be difficult to even pick up the phone.

(or I have crappy insurance that doesn’t cover anything...)

Here are some ideas for where to start the search:

*There may be a local hotline in your county to connect to a variety of social services, including crisis intervention and mental health care. In Monterey County, where I live, it’s 211.

*A local nonprofit may be able to connect you with mental health resources. Nonprofits like the United Way, Salvation Army, or the YMCA usually know about the resources in the community. At the very least, they should be able to point you in the right direction.

Give me an appointment or face the wrath of my terrible claws.

*Your regular doctor may be able to connect you with community-based mental health resources. Sometimes regular doctors can prescribe antidepressants. (Although a psychiatrist is likely to be more precise in matching you with the right med.)

*Some providers offer a sliding scale (that means they charge less for lower-income clients.) You can search for such therapists on the Psychology Today website.

*Sometimes (emphasis on sometimes) Telehealth can be a more affordable option. An additional benefit is that sometimes (again, emphasis on sometimes) you can see a Telehealth provider within days or weeks. Here is an article about online therapy services. And this article is about telehealth psychiatry options.

*Support Groups may be helpful. Also, whoever leads the support group may be able to point you in the right direction in your search for low-cost resources. More on support groups here.

*If you are in college: What luck! There is a campus health center where you can get free counseling! Take advantage of this resource. Do you have any idea what therapy costs? Like $120/hour. You can get it for free! Try to sign up at the beginning of the semester before everyone has their nervous breakdowns.

* I have also seen people just go on Facebook and say: I’m looking for free/cheap medical care in the county, where do I start? (I am sorry that our healthcare system is such a dystopian nightmare.)

*Here is a list of other free hotlines so you can talk to someone right away.

(This is by no means a comprehensive list. This is just what I could come up with so far. If you think of good ideas of things to add to this list, send me an e-mail! kathleenfounds@gmail.com)

Got an appointment? Of some kind? That is amazing! You have triumphed! Treat yourself to a cupcake!

Now you need to take good care of yourself until your appointment. If you are feeling well enough, check out all the lifestyle stuff.

Did you look into getting connected with a support group? Look into getting connected with a support group.

If you are having difficulty rising from the linoleum, and are unceasingly assailed by The Voice of Doom, here are non-professional & eccentric instructions for getting through a very bad day.

And if you need help, like, right now, click here.

And hang in there.

Bipolar Bear & the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Health Insurance: a Fable for Grown Ups is a graphic novel about a bipolar bear who gets lost in the Labyrinth of Health Insurance Claims.

When Mystical Creatures Attack! is a novel about an idealistic teacher who has a nervous breakdown and corresponds with her former students from an inpatient psychiatric facility.