What do I do if I know I need therapy but can't afford a therapist?

This is a great question. Knowing that you need therapy and wanting to engage with a therapist is really positive. The first step to improve your situation would be to check your insurance policy if you have one, check it and then check it again - they can be confusing sometimes! If your insurance doesn't cover therapy then you could look for a local training clinic where graduates are trained, you would still have to pay for their help but it is usually slightly cheaper, the same applies to a community mental health center if you can find one local to you. Alternatives to finding a therapist would be to borrow self help books from your local library, find a local support group to attend and/or reaching out to a listener here on 7 cups of tea. This situation must be really tough for you, I'm sorry that you're experiencing it. I hope that my answer has helped you, feel free to reach out to me if you need any more support. Have a great day