This incredible spreadsheet can help you find an affordable therapist no matter where you are

It’s not news that suicide rates in teens and young adults have skyrocketed in the past 30 years, especially considering the often-cited but still mind-boggling fact that 1 in 5 millennials suffer from depression.

Couple that the with the rising costs of healthcare and the efforts to repeal Obamacare, it can be incredibly difficult to find therapists, psychiatrists and mental healthcare help that’s not cripplingly expensive.

But that’s where Crissy Milazzo and her spreadsheet comes in.

Crissy, a writer and activist (my word, not hers), who struggles with her own mental illness, has seen firsthand what lack of access to affordable therapy can do to someone with depression. Over the past year, Crissy lost a few friends to suicide including Porter who struggled to find affordable help.

This past August, Crissy began a Google Sheet entitled “Affordable Therapy in Your State” with state-by-state breakdowns of centers and private practices where those seeking affordable therapy can go.

“After seeing what happened to my friend and how hard it was to find affordable therapy on my own, I started the spreadsheet because I felt powerless and I wanted to do something helpful,” she says.

Not every city is included and not every state is filled out (yet), but links to search engines and collectives included at the top of the sheet are included to ensure everyone finds a resource regardless of location.

The goal with the spreadsheet, Crissy says, is to help people find the help that works for them. “Therapy isn’t for everyone, but maybe text therapy is something to try, or maybe there’s a group they can find,” she says. “I want to fill out every state and turn it into a full-fledged website that people can use as a search tool.”

Ultimately, the spreadsheet still has a ways to go. Someone tried to troll the spreadsheet, which led Crissy to close down edits. Now, if people are interested in contributing to the spreadsheet, they can email Crissy at [email protected] with adds and new resources.

Crissy believes that talking to people, especially therapists, is important. It’s important to remember to not beat yourself up and to take care of yourself. “Life is really fucking hard and we all have to learn how to live,” she says. “You aren’t crazy… Everyone needs help.”

Since launching the spreadsheet, Crissy says people have reached out to say they found a therapist and mental healthcare through the sheet.

“That feels better than anything,” she says.

Check out Crissy’s spreadsheet here. For more information on helping yourself or others with mental illness, check out Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

@jenniferficarra