I would think of and treat therapy kind of like college/university? I'd make a plan and save up and/or get use to putting aside X dollars a paycheck and decide on what I'd like to work on, with what sort of therapist, etc. My plan would have me researching and learning all I could on my own while I saved, getting a bit of a head start (if I'm shy/anxious/socially "clumsy", for example, I'd start greeting store clerks and librarians and other "public" people; start trying to deliberately look at strangers I passed in the street and smile at them, etc.) and see if I couldn't build up my self-confidence some before I tackled therapy. If I'm depressed or don't like a symptom/characteristic of mine, I'd read about how to work on that, start a journal or checklist and see how far I could get on my own before therapy and what I had particular problems with and thought someone else could help with.

But I'd maybe work/save for 3-6 months on my own and then work/save for 3-6 months with someone else and keep rotating.