Where can a person receive financial assistance for professional counseling?
The first place is through your health insurance policy. Most medical aid plans now provide assistance for psychological problems, if only for a limited number of sessions. Ask your agent about specific coverage of psychotherapy for depression. In most communities, counseling services are available that charge on a sliding scale related to income. The fees in such cases may be nominal, although few will provide free service. Interestingly, free service is often not very beneficial, because there’s an absence of commitment to the therapeutic process. If a fee is charged, even Page 134 though it’s small, it involves the client to a much greater degree, and the benefit is therefore much greater. Some churches provide free counseling services to members, so that’s an option to explore with your pastor. IS THERE A DANGER THAT ONE MIGHT SEEK COUNSEL FROM A PASTOR JUST TO AVOID THE COST? Yes, pastors often get called just because they don’t charge for their services. And because their counsel
