Mental Health Resources List
For comedians and other artists, there are many barriers to accessing quality mental health services. Well, there’s many barriers for everyone, but comedians - as freelancers with variable income - face additional hurdles. Below is a list of resources, including traditional, medical and non-traditional modalities. It is certainly not comprehensive, but each one has been personally recommended by folks within our community.
Helplines
Suicide and Crisis Lifeline - 988
NY Project Hope Hotline - 1-844-863-9314
NY Crisis Text Line - Text GOT5 to 741741
SAMHSA’s National Helpline - 1-800-662-HELP
National Sexual Assault Helpline - 1-800-656-4673
Trans Lifeline - 1-877-565-8860
The Trevor Project - 1-866-488-7386
Sliding Scale/Affordable Therapy & Psychiatry
Dean Hope Center - Columbia University - Low fee psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy and other services.
National Institute for the Psychotherapies - Located in Midtown, offers sliding scale psychotherapy services in person and online
Center for Modern Psychoanalytic Studies - Located in Chelsea, offers sliding scale therapy in person (must be fully vaccinated)
Nightlife/Artist Specific Services
NYC Nightlife Weekly Support Group Zoom - Free weekly support group for NYC nightlife workers - Mondays at 4 pm
Backline Case Management - Free service providing a one-on-one Case Manager to help you navigate finding the right help that you need and can afford (NOTE: the form says you must work in music, but thanks to pandemic funding, this is open to anyone working in NYC nightlife - staff or performers)
Community Specific Services
Therapy For Black Men - Database of therapists, along with financial assistance (currently there is a wait list for financial assistance [August 2022])
Health in Her Hue - Health in Her Hue connects Black women and women of color to culturally sensitive healthcare providers, evidence-based health content, and community support
Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation Provider List - A Directory of Mental Health Providers and Programs serving the African-American community
Melanin in Mental Health - Resources including finding a local provider, books and podcasts.
The Center - LGBTQA services, including substance abuse treatment, mental health and health insurance navigation
Womankind - Founded to support the Asian community, now offers multicultural and multilingual services
Safe Horizons - Offers chat-based, phone and in person assistance for domestic abuse and sexual assault throughout the 5 boroughs
Latinx Therapy - Providers, podcasts and books in both English and Spanish
Other Wellness/Holistic Services
Nia Dance - Dance classes for personal growth
Transcranial magnetic stimulation - TMS is an FDA approved treatment for people with medication-resistant depression. If you have insurance, it will be covered partially or fully. There are numerous providers throughout the country, including Mt Sinai and Columbia
Ketamine - Ketamine is available in intranasal and IV form for treatment-resistant depression. Only the nasal form is currently FDA-approved and therefor covered by insurance.
Sound Baths - Soothing sounds designed to alleviate stress and anxiety
Sensory Deprivation Tanks - Floating in saline water with either soothing sounds or complete silence, low lights or full darkness so that your muscles and senses aren’t doing any work
12 Step Programs - Offer free support groups for a variety of addictions and traumas