How Much Does Private Therapy Cost?
Prevalence of mental illness
In the modern age, there is a mental health crisis. Recent data shows that 19% of adults in America suffer from a form of mental illness mental health America prevalence data. Meanwhile, the same data shows that 13.01% of people aged 12-17 have reported a major depressive episode. These numbers that are continuously increasing each year are alarming, to say the least.
In the UK One in four adults and one in 10 children experience mental illness, and many more of us know and care for people who do suffer with various forms of mental illness (NHS England). The Covid19 pandemic and the risning cost of living is cited by the as some of the raesons for the incarese in the UK population needing mental health support (Read the recent UK Parliament report here)
Due of the prevalence of mental health issues, therapy has never been more critical.
Private Practice Therapy
It’s no secret that even though mental health advocates are making progress, there is still a stigma surrounding the issue. Many people who need help aren’t able to do so because they are scared of what society will think of them and so private therapy becomes attractive especially as one doesn’t need to tell their employer or GP about it.
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Is Therapy the Right Treatment for You?
The reality is that everyone needs therapy. Even people who do not exhibit mental health symptoms will still benefit from having a professional help you process your emotions. It’s normal to experience feelings aside from happiness. However, there are emotions like fear, anger, and sadness that can easily affect your life. The goal of private therapy is to help you navigate through these emotions.
There are some people, however, who need therapy more than others. These are the ones suffering from mental health problems. While other people can learn to process their emotions by venting through their friends or families, people exhibiting mental illness symptoms require a professional to help them.
Therapy is available in the UK NHS but the waiting times vary from 4 days to over 229 days with IAPT services and around 18% of children aged 7 to 16 had a probable mental health condition in 2022, up from 12% in 2017
To check if you need to get therapy read the information below.
Experiencing Extreme Emotions
As mentioned before, experiencing emotions, even though some are considered “negative,” is natural. There is nothing wrong with experiencing anger, anxiety or sadness at times. However, if you are experiencing emotions that push you towards extreme actions, especially if you struggle to regulate your emotions, you might benefit from therapy.
Unable to Process Recent or Past Trauma
People who have gone through traumatic events may need therapy. Most often than not, this traumatic event(s) sometimes render an individual unable to move or go through with their regular routine. You may not have a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress but you may be experiencing some of the associated symptoms.
Anxiety and Intrusive Thoughts
It’s normal to worry. Worrying is an evolutionary trait that helps us to anticipate and protect ourselves from danger. However, too much anxiety can take up a significant part of your day and might even cause you to feel physical symptoms such as nausea or increased heartbeat.
Unable to Function Socially
This is not referring to being an introvert. There is a difference between people who enjoy being alone than people who feel anxious when they need to perform social activities. Therapy sessions e.g. graduated exposure and Cognitive Behavior Therapy can be done to help you deal with these issues.
Mental Health & Suicidal Thoughts
An estimated number of 10.3 million adults in America have serious suicidal thoughts. In 2018 alone, there are more than 48,000 deaths by suicide and 1.4 million suicide attempts. The national suicide rate continues to increase.
If you are someone who has even simply entertained the thought of suicide, it is essential to seek help immediately. There is a USA suicide hotline for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255) to contact if you need immediate help. For UK and other crisis contact details see here.
At its early stages, a therapist can help you with suicide ideation. If you need more treatment, they might suggest being hospitalized until you feel much better.
How Much Does a Therapist Cost Out of Pocket?
With the benefits mentioned here, it’s easy to see why therapy can help someone. However, a lot of people are still refraining from getting a consultation because of financial reasons.
The cost of therapy has a wide range as it depends on the therapist’s credentials, length of sessions, specialization of treatment, and even the location of therapy. There is no set industry standard on just how much therapy is. If you’re lucky, you might find one for as low as USD $20 / £30 an hour. But if you want a more high-quality therapy session, it might be best to spend a little more.
In America, the price range of therapy sessions ranges from $20 to $250 and from £30 to £250 in the UK. While a therapist can undoubtedly charge outside this range, this is the price range of most private practitioners. Furthermore, you might need more than one session, depending on your condition and needs.
What Affects the Price of Therapy?
As mentioned, the price of a therapy session varies due to several different factors. Here are a few of the most common factors you need to consider when setting a therapy budget. See here for tips to get low cost therapy.
Insurance
If you are worried about therapy costs, you can look into your insurance and see if it covers therapy. There is still an ongoing debate on what can be covered by insurance regarding mental health. Under the Affordable Care Act, individuals suffering from mental health problems and substance abuse disorders should be covered by health insurance.
Length of Session
Your needs will dictate the length of the session, which also affects the price of a consultation. For severe cases, a more extended session at the start of your therapy is needed. However, as you progress and become better, your therapist might prescribe fewer hours.
Location of Therapy
Depending on your location. The price of the therapy session varies. For example, most cities in the U.S. charge $75 to $150. In New York City, the price for a therapy session can be more than $200.
In case you are using having a consultation through the internet, a practice that is known as teletherapy, the price of your therapy will depend on your therapist’s location. However, if they are in a different state or country, you might want to check if they are legally allowed to practice in your area.
Specialization
Different types of mental health problems or emotional difficulties require different types of therapy. For example, people who are suffering from PTSD have different rates compared to people who are suffering from Depression. Likewise, a session intended to simply process your emotion has different rates than a session intended to cure mental illness.
Therapist Credentials
Like many other professional fields, the price of the services a therapist offers depends on their credentials and reputation. You can check where they graduated, how long they have been practicing, and their track record. To ensure that you are being taken care of by professionals, you can ask for their license information and check-in websites such as the American Psychological Association’s Psychologist Locator [https://locator.apa.org/].
Is Therapy Worth It?
As mentioned before, therapy is highly worth it. The common misconception is that you need to be extremely mentally ill before you seek therapy. This is not true. Therapy can help you with any problems involving your thoughts and emotions and give you many benefits.
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Saving a Life
Mental health problems may or may not exhibit physical symptoms, which makes them harder to diagnose. Seeking help during the earliest sign of any mental health symptoms can save your life. Combatting the symptoms earlier can help you better process your emotion.
In cases where the mental illness has already progressed to suicide ideation, therapy can still provide the necessary care to get you back to normal.
Better Quality of Life
A lot of people who suffer from mental illness are unable to function socially. People with Depression and anxiety, for example, find it challenging to manage daily tasks that other people will have no problem doing.
Therapy can provide you with a better quality of life. By processing your emotions in a safe space, you can let go of worries and manage triggers so that you can become better. For most people, this is the main objective of therapy. It is an effective way of improving your life.
The Right Therapist
A small number of people have tried a private therapy session and did not like it. While this does happen from time to time, it is a rare case. Most therapists offer a free consultation before they begin counseling sessions. During the consultation, you can ask anything about mental health in general and how the therapist will handle specific problems.
These consultations are often done so that you can get to know the therapist better. Finding the right one isn’t hard, especially if you’ve done your research. But if you feel a little uncomfortable, you can always find another therapist in your area to help you with getting better.
Develop Coping Strategies
With a professional, you can develop ways to cope with your triggers and manage your distress. This is useful in the future, even if you want to stop doing therapy sessions at some point. By increasing self-awareness and discussing your emotions, your therapist can provide you with a detailed plan on what to do if you feel mental health symptoms surfacing.
Conclusion
Even though some people are scared of the costs of therapy, it is highly worth it. Furthermore, with the changes in the laws about mental health, you can quickly get a discounted price if you want to get a therapy session through insurance coverage.
There is no other better time to start doing therapy than now. It’s never too late or too early to seek help from professionals to help you deal with your issues and create a better quality of life for you.
