East Texas mental health professional gives tips on how to afford care

TYLER, Texas (KLTV) - Tuesday is World Mental Health Day, and the goal is to make it easier for people to seek support.

The National Alliance on Mental Health says 22.8% of adults in the U.S. experienced mental illness in 2021; roughly one out of every five adults.

Hanna Weaver with Alethia Counseling said days like today help bring the topic of mental health into casual conversation.

“A lot of people have heard negative messages about mental health for ages and ages,” Weaver said. “And so this stigma not only had developed individually, it’s developed within communities, nationally and across the globe.”

The Anxiety and Depression Association of America said therapy can cost a person roughly $100 per hour. Weaver said the cost of getting help can be a major barrier for people across the country.

“Being able to have this day where there is an awareness and more conversations about it not only helps people go, ‘Oh, I’ve got a resource; I can point you towards this.’ It also helps places like insurances or low-income resources to be developed, so folks are able to get the help they need without feeling like the financial burden is too much,” Weaver said.

Weaver said there are places in the community offering help at a lower cost, or in some cases, no cost.

“The Andrews Center, crisis centers, for individual folks and sometimes there are even personal or private organizations that will provide financial resources for people who need mental health counseling and services,” Weaver said.

There are several resources available for getting help in East Texas. These are a few of the options:

Avery Niles speaks with Hannah Weaver, an LPC with Alethia Counseling Center about World Mental Health Day and the financial aspect of getting mental help.

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