COUNSELING IN NIGERIA: MENTAL HEALTH AND MARRIAGE
Counseling is very important; sometimes, we all need someone to talk to about what is going on in our minds or various crises happening in our lives. These crises may range from mental health and marital problems to depression and loneliness. We all need a listening ear, and it can be very painful when we can’t find someone to talk to.
Sometimes, due to our financial resources, affording a fee-paying session with a professional counsellor is hard. In this article, I will show you where you can get free counseling services to help you cope with whatever you are going through. This means that I am going to be linking you up with where you can get some therapy for free.
We cannot talk about free counseling without talking about online therapy, because most free counseling is available only online. Online, you have the opportunity to meet with your therapist. Also known as tele-mental healthcare, counsellors and patient meetings are often through a messaging app, video chat, or even the phone. It is as effective and sometimes more effective than traditional face-to-face meetings with the counselor.
It is speculated that its ease comes from the fact that people find it easier to open up to therapists when they can talk to them from the comfort of their homes. Various studies show that free online therapy can be just as good as or even better than traditional types of therapy. It all depends on how well your therapist and treatment strategy suits your needs. A recent study by the journal of American college health discovered that online therapy reduced anxiety.
Many health insurance providers now cover online therapy sessions. This singular act has made talking with a professional online free or cheap. The internet has been a big help in providing us with access to these free counseling services. It has connected top-notch counselors who give free counseling with us. You must have guessed that you will meet most of these counselors online.
Below are a few of the websites online. You can find free counselling, and also a few professional counsellors who provide free counselling.
COUNSELING SERVICES
- Blah-therapy
Blah-therapy is suited best if you are going through marital problems. Its counsellors are renowned for providing the best emotional support. If you are intrigued about the spiritual aspect of your problems, they also provide psychic readings for their patients and peer therapy. Their services are available 24/7. New patients can take a survey to be matched with the appropriate therapist for their mental needs.
Read Also: Online-Counseling-in-Nigeria
- Free online therapy
Free online therapy offers you several services through its partnership with other mental health support websites. As a new patient, you can use the platform to find the online therapy counselors that suit you best. You can also choose the type of support system you prefer: volunteer online therapy or relationship counseling.
- eTherapy pro
eTherapy pro is one of the best resources online. It is convenient, accessible, and secure. So what’s the selling point, you may ask? Well, they offer a free counseling service with their top professionals. So with no money, you will be assessing highly regarded professional counselors.
- 7 cups
7 cups is a unique free counseling site because it approaches counseling from a different angle. 7 cups is a network of peer support that’s based on volunteer services. With their online therapy chat support, users can also create meaningful connections via community forums or private chats with other members of the network.
- Talk with a stranger.
You may require counseling but not want the counselor to know who you are. “Talk with a stranger” is one of the best sites if you need counseling but want to keep yourself anonymous. Here you can create connections with other anonymous users. You can even use a nickname to preserve your anonymity while connecting with people.
- Lifeline
Lifeline is a Lagos state-owned tele-mental health service that provides you access to psycho-social support, counseling, and psychotherapy services free of charge, through dedicated hotlines.
- Sage Nel
Sage Nel is a marriage and family therapist. She focuses especially on single mothers, women over 30 years, and women who have been married previously and are seeking to get married again.
- Tayo Owosina
Tayo Owosina is an online mental health professional counsellor and psychotherapist in Lagos.
CONCLUSION
Free counseling in Nigeria is best found online. This system has translated traditional services into virtual experiences you can take anywhere. With various online platforms, therapy, chat rooms, and general mental health services, getting free treatment has never been easier.
In Nigeria, the counseling profession has not kicked off compared to the developed countries like the United States of America, Canada, and Britain. So the internet plays a big role in connecting Nigerians to even the best free counseling services in developed countries.
The internet has been a big help in providing an avenue for people going through depression and some other cases. It has provided a solution and situation where people can get together and talk about their problems.
Getting free counseling in Nigeria can be a bit for those who do not go through the internet. Suppose you choose not to go through the internet when you need someone to talk to about various crises in your life, from marriage problems to mental health. In that case, you find that the only counselors available to you are family members and church members.
It is important to note that some free sessions or free counselling is limited to certain time durations. These counselors need to make money so they may offer you only a limited duration of free counseling. However, it is important to remember that free online counselling is not ideal for emergencies or more serious situations, like addiction or eating disorders. Additionally, some conditions may warrant medications.
To speak with any of our counsellors at Light House Counselling, call or whatsapp +2348060286476.
We Charge N10,000 Per Month for Counselling
We provide 5 different types of Counseling ranging from Marriage and Family Counselling, Educational Counselling, Rehabilitation Counselling, Mental Health Counselling, and Substance Abuse Counselling.
We have professionals and we provide affordable services.