Low cost psychologists: therapists at low cost, a new and worrying fashion
Anxiety, stress, substance abuse, affective disorders or problems of development or social adjustment are elements that are increasingly present in our society. In a world like today there are many people who need specialized psychological care and, as a professional activity, what it is, such attention supposes a retribution for those who exercise it .
However, some of the people who need these services do not have enough resources to face the fees of a private professional, which is why the demand for low cost psychologists has appeared.
Low cost psychologists: explaining the concept
As you know, psychology is a scientific discipline whose object of study is the human psyche. Psychologists devote their professional activity to working with people, groups and diverse organizations, having trained for years and polished their skills and competencies in order to offer the best possible service.
There are many professionals who work within the public sphere, but the characteristics of the public environment means that many professionals decide to establish themselves and create or enter private psychological consultations and institutes.
Going to a private psychology center usually implies a more personal treatment , differentiated and with a more continuous availability, in addition to being able to find more frequently other approaches that move away from the most habitual methodologies. However, this type of consultation usually has a moderate cost (it must be taken into account that the professional must face multiple expenses in the management and maintenance of the consultation) that in the long run can become difficult for many to assume.
Thus, it is possible that many people who need psychological attention in a more continuous and specific than in the public (if in the territory in question there is such public health) may not be able to bear the costs involved. The knowledge of this fact has caused the birth of some associations and professionals that offer a psychological intervention at low cost . They are known as "low cost psychologists".
Psychology within reach of any pocket
This type of low cost psychology aims to serve as a bridge between the benefits of therapy and patients who can not afford it. They tend to be associations, NGOs and professional groups that, faced with the observation that many problems are left untreated due to lack of resources, decide to lower their services, adjusting this aspect to the economic capacity of the subject.
With regard to the legality and possibility of low-cost therapy, according to the deontological code, it must be taken into account that the remuneration demanded by the professional must not imply that the profession is devalued or that there is unfair competition. But nevertheless, it is possible and legal to carry out a psychological intervention of these characteristics, and even exceptionally for free , if customers need this and are unable to cope with the expense.
To go to this type of association and low cost psychologists, it is necessary to present the documentation that shows the socioeconomic status of the above mentioned, so that the remuneration can be fixed according to their possibilities while preventing the abusive use of this type of services.
The situation in Spain
Although in Spain it is not as frequent as there are professionals of psychology within the Social Security, it is a current on the rise in other countries of South America. Despite this, due to the economic problems associated with the crisis and the difficulty of accessing public services because of the poor relationship between supply and demand (exceeding to a large extent the demand of psychologists for the offer) its high level of demand have begun to emerge similar associations in our borders .
Although the low price may suggest otherwise, the professionals who offer this type of therapy are still qualified psychologists and psychologists, requiring sufficient accreditation to take care of the patients and clients who come to them or else they would be acting fraudulently and punishable by law.
In Spain, in the case of clinical psychology, it is necessary to have at least the title and accreditation of a general health psychologist or specialist in clinical psychology, as well as being a member of the Official College of Psychologists.
Advantages and disadvantages of offering therapy at low prices
As in almost everything, in low cost psychology there are lights and shadows.
The good thing about this collection policy
The main advantage of this type of intervention is evident: Low cost psychology allows to provide counseling and therapy to those who can not afford to go to other types of services . This can provide relief for a large number of people who might not otherwise receive specialized care.
The low cost can also induce to reduce the level of abandonment of therapy, which sometimes is due to decreases in the purchasing power of clients (layoffs, for example).
Likewise, the greater accessibility by a large number of people allows contributing to the fact that going to a psychologist ceases to be a socially stigmatized issue, given that the idea that going to a consultation is proper is still valid in part of the population. of people with serious mental disorders.
The bad of low cost psychology
But if going to a low cost center can be a great help and benefit to the person who comes to him, it is necessary to take into account that it may involve some risks and / or disadvantages with respect to other types of professionals.
One of the main risks is that the center or association in question is real. Although there are centers and institutions of low cost psychologists of proven effectiveness, in the age of internet It is easy to find cases of professional assumptions that have neither the training nor the legal capacity to practice psychology , running the risk that under alleged offers that draw attention may hide situations of fraud.
In this sense, it is necessary to document and gather information about the center and the professionals who offer therapy to verify that they are who they say they are. The professionals of psychology must be accredited as such and collegiate in order to be able to practice.
The risk of denigrating the guild
Another risk comes from the fact that, although the realization of therapy at low cost is possible, this should be given only under the assumption that it does not denigrate the profession or that it incurs unfair competition with other professionals . It must be borne in mind that a price that is too low may cause the training, effort, skill and dedication required to successfully carry out a treatment or therapy to be underestimated.
Thus, it is necessary to bear in mind that this type of low-cost therapies should be dedicated to situations in which clients who need an intervention do not have sufficient resources.
Finally, another disadvantage of this type of low cost psychology is that despite the fact that the service is of quality it is possible that certain modalities of treatment or evaluation can not be carried out. This is due to the limitations inherent in the lack of budget, and is that the resources available to a center greatly limits the type of services it can offer.
