7 Simple Ways To Get Discount Therapy

Getting low-cost therapy might seem like a fantasy. With costs everywhere rising and each of us working extra to meet our rising budgets, getting good therapy is more important than ever. So is it possible to get good therapy while also spending less money? 

In reality, there’s a lot we can do to discount the cost of our therapy. By being educated about the therapeutic process, we can understand what problems we need to work on and lean into our areas for growth. By doing the work at home, we can be more self-reliant and need the help of a counselor less often. By working with a therapist intern, you can get the benefits of working with someone who’s had the training to help people just like you at a much discounted cost. 

“You will stay in therapy as long as you feel it is worth the time, effort and money you invest.” 

Alexander Lowen

How Can I Get My Money’s Worth From Therapy? 

Getting your money’s worth means having the most effective therapy sessions possible. A big piece of this is working with the right therapist, but in order to make the most of a good therapist, we must also be willing to do the work. And sometimes doing the work is very hard. Most people would rather pay the extra money for more sessions than put in the effort required to be a student. 

• Work With The Right Therapist. Finding the right therapist is everything. What do you need to work on? What are your therapist’s specialties? What are you looking for from therapy? Make sure that the therapist you’re seeing is the right fit for your needs, experiences, and yes, even your budget. 
• Come Prepared For Your First Session. What’s been going on lately that needs your attention? What big feelings have been coming up for you? Where do you feel that you need to grow? What do you want to get out of therapy, and what are your goals?  Knowing what you’d like to work on beforehand can make any therapy session run smoother, however, your therapist is there to guide you through it and collaborate with you on getting where you want to go.
• Explore Where You Might Be Going Wrong. There’s no one right way to go to therapy, but there are many wrong ones. Perhaps you lack clarity or a willingness to continue when things get hard. Whatever it may be, discovering the parts of you that resist healing may be important throughout the therapy process. 

What Does It Mean To DIY Therapy? 

DIY therapy doesn’t mean that we don’t want or need sessions with a therapist. It means taking what we’ve learned from therapy and putting it into practice to heal ourselves. In truth, one of the most powerful results of going to therapy is leaving with the tools to do what our counselor has done in-session. So how can we start to take what we’ve learned in therapy into our daily lives? 

• Healing From Home. You have all the supplies you need. You have the perfect venue. All the feelings you need to channel are readily accessible to you. It’s always possible to heal yourself (at least a little), you just have to know when to start. 
• Soothing Your Anxiety. There are times in our lives when we need to deal with our anxiety in a timely manner. But getting there isn’t always simple. That’s why we need strong tools at the ready to deal with our anxiety.
• Art Therapy Here In St. Petersburg. No matter your budget, you can always find an avenue for artistic expression. We’re fortunate to live in a city where there are opportunities for art therapy all around us. Tapping into your creativity is as similar as turning one thing into something else. That can be painting, collaging, baking, making a smoothie…the possibilities for creative therapy and expression are endless.

Who Provides Affordable Therapy? 

Our Counseling Intern and Student Therapist, Alli Cravener! 

(I am Alli Cravener.) 

I can help you reignite your inner child-like wonder, finding joy in the present moment and moving through the worries that might be holding you back. If you know that there is something more out there than the life you are currently living and you need someone to guide you, help check your blindspots, and hold the lantern for you as you illuminate your shadows, I am that person for you. The techniques I am passionate about are creative and expressive as well as somatic and body informed therapies. I believe that once we are able to regulate our body and our nervous system, we have the strength to move through negative thoughts.

I also believe that joy and a positive atmosphere can enhance the therapeutic experience. I incorporate elements of playfulness, creativity, and lightheartedness when appropriate, fostering an environment where laughter and enjoyment coexist with the healing process.

I work with people on anxiety, depression, self-esteem, burnout, and trauma.

My true passion lies in helping others in whatever capacity I can – and that includes partnering with you to help you find whatever it is you need within YOURSELF to heal. My role in this is to strive to understand you and to say what I think I understand – first probably in little understandings of what you tell me, and then later with the bigger picture of how I’m learning to see you. Through this process you can come to understand yourself better and to use that enhanced understanding for new decisions and actions.

Even when I am wrong in how I understand you, if you help me understand you better, you still learn- because by helping me understand, you help yourself understand and access parts of yourself that you were unable to access before.

The best part about working with a student therapist is you’re getting an entire team of people helping you – not just the student therapist – for an extremely affordable price. And, you are getting the passion and enthusiasm that you deserve from your therapist.

Click here to schedule a free 15-minute consultation with Alli.

Starting with a creative written voice and a BA in English from ASU, Alli Cravener has become so much more than Integrative Counsel’s voice! Not only is she a writer who is passionate about connecting concepts and content, Alli is also currently a grad student working towards her Master’s in Counseling. She is also the editor-in-chief, office manager, AND intake specialist at Integrative Counsel. When you call us, you’ll talk to Alli! Alli’s interests include painting, history, learning about other people, and wearing the color pink. She likens herself to a “mouse in a palm tree”, and she loves it that way.