I maxed out 5 credit cards after college, and they were eventually charged off. My girlfriend (now wife) and I worked directly with the credit card companies to set up payment plans. It was tough, but we paid everything off, and my credit is now excellent. Definitely worth it.
Be cautious of programs tied to Strategic Financial Solutions. They’re being sued by several states for deceptive practices. Do your research before signing up with anyone.
I’m having a good experience with InCharge, a non-profit debt management program. They consolidated payments for my $6k in credit card debt and negotiated lower payments and interest rates. My credit score went up by 60 points after signing up.
I worked with a local non-profit that negotiated almost zero interest rates for my credit card debt. They didn’t charge any fees, and my credit wasn’t affected negatively. I highly recommend non-profits for this.