to be able to ask for help! so many people are so inhibited by pride or ego or fear that we never ask for help… but sometimes all you need is a little help.

so glad you wrote an entry :)

At 17, when I was under my parent’s health insurance, I called my local HMO and got an appointment with a Psychologist Intern without parent notification/consent. Now, that was in the 90’s, rules change, and different organizations have different policies, but…

That same HMO has a free, eight week CBT based Managing Your Depression class that I took just a few months ago. They even gave us a meditation CD, Health Journeys: For People With Depression, that you might find helpful.

Many therapists in private practice have sliding fee scales. There may be community organizations that may provide low cost services using your income, rather than your parent’s income as a payment guideline.

Also, there are schools that train future therapists. They often have sliding fee scales, as low as $10 a session. You’d see a student or intern, rather than someone with years of experience. But, sometimes that’s enough.

Some high schools, also have counseling interns that provide some limited free services to students. Parent consent might be an issue there.

So, your community may have services that you can access cheaply without your parents knowledge. The challenge might be to find them. Good luck!