Questions About Therapy
January 1, 2022
Under the federal No Surprises Act, health care providers need to give clients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the expected charges for medical services, including psychotherapy services. You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency healthcare services, including psychotherapy services.
You can ask your healthcare provider, and any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule a service, or at any time during treatment. If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill. Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate. For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, or how to dispute a bill, see your Estimate, or visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises.
So many clients have told us that before coming to therapy they weren’t sure that their problems were “bad” enough to warrant going to counseling. I can tend minimize the severity of our struggles. I may not even realize how much things are bothering us. Therapy provides a structured and safe place in which to explore the challenges you face. You can gain new skills and perspectives that you can use for the rest of your life. For these reasons alone, many people report their therapy experience to be invaluable.
When you come to counseling, I can help you sort out how you feel about medication and can help you think through the pros and cons. If you are wary of taking medication, it is by no means something you have to do. Many people can gain the skills to heal and feel better without medication.
If you feel emotionally overwhelmed to the extent that it gets in the way of you being able to problem solve, take action in your life, or carry out your usual activities then medication may be helpful for you. I do not prescribe medication but can refer you to a local provider who can.
