Therapy is expensive - here are some free resources.
Therapy is expensive. Here are some free resources.
Not everyone can afford to access the number of sessions they would like, at the frequency they would like. Therapy is expensive and insurance only covers so much. Below I have listed some suggestions for resources that can help you learn useful skills and gain a better understanding of yourself. These resources can be used in between sessions so you can continue the work on your own, or, if you can’t afford therapy at all they are great resources on their own. Remember, if you are ever in a crisis you can call the National Suicide Crisis Helpline at 9-8-8.
Website Recommendations
Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Recovery College
The Recovery College offers free short-term courses on various topics aimed at helping people ages 16+ increase resourcefulness. They have both online courses and in-person courses (for those living in Calgary).
Website dedicated to providing accessible, science-based anxiety relief. You’ll find also sorts of information sheets, coping strategies and more - they even created a useful app called MindShift.
Dialectical Behavioural Therapy
DBT is a popular type of therapy filled with useful tools for developing mindfulness, managing emotions and improving relationships. This website offers all those skills/tools for free.
Australia’s Centre For Clinical Interventions
Great source for self-help workbooks on various mental health topics - all for free.
Book Recommendations
Books aren’t free, but remember you can access books (including audiobooks!) for free from your local library.
Self-Therapy: A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Wholeness Using IFS, A Cutting-Edge Psychotherapy
Jay Earley
No Bad Parts: Healing Trauma and Restoring Wholeness with the Internal Family Systems Model
Richard Schwartz
You Are the One You’ve Been Waiting For: Applying Internal Family Systems to Intimate Relationships
Richard Schwartz