• U.S. based journalists, regardless of gender, can apply for financial assistance for their mental health services through the International Women’s Media Foundation’s U.S. Journalism Emergency Fund. For more information, click here.

• To apply for financial assistance through the AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islander) Journalist Therapy Relief Fund, click here.

• Freelance journalists who have been actively working freelance for the past 12 months may be eligible for the Rory Peck Trust‘s Trauma Therapy Fund. To apply, click here.

• The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) provides grants for journalism-related mental health and trauma support. For more information and to apply for a grant, contact CPJ Emergencies at Emergencies@CPJ.org.

If you don’t have mental health benefits and you cannot afford to pay out-of-pocket, try searching for the following places in your community that likely offer free or low-cost virtual therapy.

Keep in mind, your therapist must be licensed in the state where you are located when you will be receiving services, even if you see them by “telehealth.”

• The Open Path Collective is a nonprofit nationwide network of mental health professionals dedicated to providing mental health care—at a steeply reduced rate ($30-$70)—to clients in need.

• Alma is searchable by price you can afford, as well as by specialty (eg, trauma) and location.

• Community mental health centers

• Refugee and torture treatment clinics will often accept other patients who have emotional or physical injuries from work related to defense of democracy (such as journalism). To see if there is such a clinic near you, check the National Consortium of Torture Treatment Centers member centers page.

• Federally funded health centers can also be a good resource for those without health insurance or with a limited budget. Many of these centers include mental health services. Find a federally funded health center near you.

• Local universities or colleges that house training programs for therapists

• National hotlines can often connect you to free local clinics

• State or county behavioral health services

Before connecting with a therapist, you may want to contact your insurance company to learn about any mental health benefits you might have. Your insurer may recommend certain therapists who are considered “in network” with your insurance. Or, you may have benefits that cover “out of network” therapists.

Keep in mind, your therapist must be licensed in the state where you are located when you are receiving services, even if you see them by “telehealth.”

To locate a therapist near you, explore the links below:

• ISTSS has a clinician locator for trauma-specific services.

• Add Konterra to the referrals page

• KonTerra Counseling and Psychological Services includes clinicians in DC, VA, MD, and some international locations with “expertise in supporting culturally sensitive care to high-stakes professionals in fast-paced environments,” and some discounted services for financial need. 

• The Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies also has a therapist referral service with the capacity to search for specialists in trauma treatment.

• The American Psychological Association has an extensive collection of clinical psychologists searchable by geographic area.

• Psychology Today and Alma: Both have a database of psychologists and other mental health professionals that can be searched by specialty, insurance accepted, and zip code. With Alma, you can additionally search by setting an out-of-pocket price that you can afford.

• Contact your local (city or state) psychological association and ask for a therapist with specific expertise (trauma, stress, substance use problems, etc.)

• If there is a local Veterans Affairs Hospital or Clinic in your area, determine if any of the therapists who know about post-traumatic stress disorder and deployment have a private practice where they might be able to see you.

• If your agency has an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), they may be able to make a referral to a therapist in the community.