First of all, there are a lot of bad counsellors out there, and a bad therapist can do more harm than good, so beware. Even after paying a lot of money, I have yet to find a good counsellor, so doing it on a budget may just be very difficult. As they say, you get what you pay for...If I decide to opt for therapy, I would not skimp on it.
My experience with school counsellors was that they were a bunch of faculty wives who were vested in defending the status quo and basically liked to blame everything on the stress at school. I agree with Selkie, those who work for the "establishment" have their own issues.
A viable alternative would be group therapy. It is cheaper and probably safer. I have never tried it myself, but am intrigued by it.
Best way to get a therapist would be through a mouth to mouth referral from a friend. If you are comfortable posting the name of the city where you lve, may be someone has a referral for you. Also if you have some special issues, like chemical depndency or N parents, then it is best to have a therapist who understands the issues.
I agree taht if you are uncomfortable with your therapist after a couple of sessions, then don't stick around.