No, it didn’t “cause mental illness” (and no, I have not been diagnosed with any mental illness, and no, you don’t need to have a diagnosis in order to benefit from therapy) but it should be obvious that this person was an obstacle to my getting what I needed to out of the therapy. If therapy is not completely private and confidential, it does nothing.
There are still many, many therapists out there who accept insurance plans (and most insurance plans do cover therapy, usually with a deductible). There are also therapists who offer sliding-scale payment plans, and clinics that will offer low-cost therapy if you meet income requirements. Your local Jewish Federation or Jewish Family Services is also a good resource for low cost and/or sliding scale therapy.
There is a BIG difference between seeing a psychologist and a psychiatrist. While everyone can benefit from seeing a psychologist, most people do not need to see a psychiatrist. Unless you have been diagnosed with a mental illness, you do not need to be on medication. It shouldn’t have to be a one or the other decision. If you need both, see both. One is not a substitute for the other, and it shouldn’t matter which one is cheaper (btw, I have a hard time believing that psychiatrists are cheaper, but whatever).
Finally, therapy is not about “breakthroughs”. There is a widespread, and ill-informed, presumption out there that therapy is all about lying on a couch having some old man tell you that it’s all about your mother. Therapy does not have to involve (and usually doesn’t involve) dramatic revelations. The truth is far more boring. It’s all about ordinary, everyday stress management, relationship counseling, etc.