1) Some shrinks will let you pay on a sliding scale dependent upon your income level, etc. I don't know how common this is but it is something to try and pursue if it's possible. You can disclose that you don't have familial support and they might be able to knock it down to $20 or something. I also once had one who would be flexible about when I paid - she would rather me come at all than have me not come simply because I couldn't pay for that meeting that day. 2) Yeah. I tried out a shrink once who was all about positive affirmations. That was her big/first/main proposed "solution." I did not stay with her long. I agree that positive self-talk is good but negative self-talk was not the root of my issues.
1) That's good to know but also sounds like a lot of work just to maybe possibly go see someone and then still pay 1/2 my weekly income which puts a damper on groceries and the gas to actually get to and from. 2) Yeah except a good deal of my problems are from negative self-talk as a result of a lot of different things but I really, really don't buy into positive affirmations and don't think that a group therapy session is the way to get me to even start to consider them.
I think we are basically in agreement about part 2: the negative self-talk stems from deeper issues which must be resolved, simply reversing the self-talk is in a way just not lying/communicating with the self emotions and feelings and beliefs which are there whether or not one looks in the mirror and says "I am a good person of value" 15 times a day. In a way the proscribed positive self-talk actually covers up the problems that need solving because it's a superficial solution to a deeper problem.