How to ask for help with therapy and counseling costs

If you are in danger or crisis, contact a crisis line now. Call or text 988 in the US. Call 1-800-662-4357 for the SAMHSA National Helpline. Call 116 123 for Samaritans in the UK and Ireland. Use Find A Helpline for free, confidential support in most countries. A HelpBLESS post is for ongoing care, not an emergency.

Before you post, gather three numbers. Write down the therapist’s fee per session. Write down how many sessions you are planning. Write down what insurance covers, if anything. Ask the office for these in a simple fee sheet or invoice. Ask whether there is a sliding-scale option. That gives you a real cost to work from, and it answers the first questions supporters will ask.

Choose what stays private. You do not have to share a diagnosis or details you are not comfortable with. You can say you are asking for mental health care without naming a diagnosis. Keep out therapy notes, insurance member IDs, dates of birth, and account numbers. If the post involves a child, a parent or legal guardian must post it. Use first names only. Leave out school and home details.

Use the Bills & expenses post type. Make the title plain. A template you can fill in: “Help with [number] counseling sessions at [amount] each in [your city].” Another: “Therapy costs: [number] sessions, [amount] total.” Name the city only if it helps. Keep the title specific and skip hype.

In the body, say what the money is for. Template: “I am asking for [amount] to cover [number] therapy sessions at [amount] per session over [number] weeks. My insurance covers [what it covers, or nothing for this]. The goal covers [number] sessions. I am not sharing my diagnosis. Thank you.” Add whether the therapist can be paid directly. Add whether the office offers a sliding scale.

Follow the contact rule. Do not put phone numbers, emails, payment handles, or links in the post. Do not ask people to message you privately. Questions are asked and answered in the public comments. If someone offers a ride, a place to stay, or care in a home, they need a verified photo, ID, or background check first.

You do not need to prove suffering. Supporters respond to honesty, not to proof of suffering. You do not need to post a diagnosis, therapy notes, or medical records to be credible. A short, clear post is stronger than a long, painful one.

Show the cost in plain terms. State the fee per session, the number of sessions, and what insurance covers. If you have an invoice, share the amount and the dates with personal details covered. In updates, you can add photos of receipts and progress. That shows how the money is being used without exposing private care details.

Use verification if you want a trust signal. Optional badges include Photo verified, Government ID, Address verified, Organization verified, and Background check on file. Only reviewers see the documents. The public sees a badge. Answer supporter questions in the comments: how many sessions the goal covers, whether the therapist can be paid directly, and whether there is a sliding-scale option.

Set the goal for a set number of weeks, not for open-ended therapy. Add session fees for that set number of weeks. Add assessment fees if you have them. Add travel costs or internet costs for online sessions. Use the goal calculator to work out the goal to set so the amount you need reaches you after fees.

Money and Bills posts set a goal between $10 and $1,000,000. Whatever is raised is paid out, even if the goal is not reached. Do not pad the goal with vague extras. List each cost in the post so supporters can see how the number was built.

If the office offers a sliding scale, set the goal around the adjusted fee. If insurance covers part, ask the office what your share is, then show the part you are asking help with. Keep the plan simple: this many sessions, this many weeks, this amount.

For ongoing care, apply for outside help too. The SAMHSA National Helpline is free, confidential, and offers treatment referral for mental health and substance use. Call 1-800-662-4357. FindTreatment.gov is a government locator for mental health and substance use treatment, including low-cost options.

Find a Health Center (HRSA) lists community health centers that charge on a sliding scale by income, insured or not. NAMI HelpLine gives information and support to people living with mental illness and their families. If you are in the UK or Ireland, Samaritans offers free, confidential listening day or night at 116 123. Find A Helpline lists free, confidential crisis lines and support services in most countries.

The Benefits checker is a two-minute, anonymous check of which US programs are worth applying for. Rules and availability vary by place. Ask what documents each program needs before you apply.

A person reviews each post before it goes live, usually within a day. A declined post shows the reason. You can fix it and resubmit at no cost. Once live, use the share buttons, the printable flyer with a QR code, the ready-to-send messages, and the embed card.

Share with people you trust. If privacy matters, do not share the post widely. Up to five co-organizers can help post updates. Money is always paid to the poster.

Add updates with photos of receipts and progress. After someone has donated, the story cannot be rewritten. Explain changes in updates. Send one thank-you note to all donors. If a response feels wrong, use the Report button. HelpBLESS staff follow up on reports.