Overcome the Stigma of Seeing a Therapist

Quick Win

There’s plenty of evidence that talk therapy works. These tips can help you get past the hurdles that are keeping you from getting help.

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• If you think, I can handle it myself — you don’t have to. Forty percent of U.S. adults 45 and older struggle with loneliness, according to an AARP survey published in 2025. Other common issues faced by aging adults include bereavement and finding a sense of purpose after retirement. Bottom line: You’re not alone, and it’s okay to ask for help.
• If you think, It’s too expensive — there are options. Some therapists don’t take insurance and charge $100 to $200 per session. But most health insurance plans, including Medicare, will cover therapy as long as the provider is in your plan’s network and service area. There are also options like Open Path, which offers in-person or virtual therapy sessions ranging from $40 to $70 per session for people with an annual household income below $100,000.
• If you think, There’s no guarantee it’ll work — consider the success rate. While it’s true that therapy won’t work for absolutely everyone, research has shown it can be very effective. Many studies have found that a form of talk therapy called cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, can significantly improve anxiety and depression symptoms in older adults.

Why

About two-thirds of older adults in the United States who struggle with a mental health issue are not receiving mental health care, according to the National Council on Aging. If you’re one of them, try not to let embarrassment or other roadblocks keep you from getting the help you need. The benefits of talk therapy can be significant: In a study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders in 2024, researchers followed up with 54 adults, ages 70 to 84, who had participated in a randomized controlled trial for people with anxiety and depression 10 years earlier. The researchers found that the adults who had received CBT had fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety after 10 years compared with those who were randomly assigned to the control group.