Many of us want to see a therapist who’s affordable. And you may find yourself wondering, ”is therapy covered by insurance or do I have to pay?” It’s a challenge to find a therapist who takes your insurance. One of the excuses that people make for not seeking treatment is how much therapy costs. It’s not a given that you have to pay for therapy. Many providers accept health insurance and depending on what plan you have; you may have a lot of options as to what therapists you can see. Maybe you’re with a partner who has mental health issues, and you suggest they see a therapist. They’re avoiding seeing one because they say that their insurance doesn’t cover it; that may not be true. They don’t need to avoid seeking treatment because they assume that they must pay for therapy out their pocket.
Companies want their employees to have good mental health
Therapy is covered by health insurance because employers want their workers to be well. They want them to be mentally healthy, and part of that wellness is about seeing a therapist when they need mental health care. Behavioral health plans are an integral part of health insurance in our society. You may be wondering if you have coverage or not. The best way to find that out is to call your insurance company and ask.
Find a therapist who takes your insurance
If you can find a therapist, who takes your insurance that’s ideal because you don’t want to get into a situation where you’re spending an extraordinary amount of money on therapy, and you can’t afford it. And the stress of spending that amount of money on mental health treatment defeats the purpose of going to therapy. Therapy should be a positive experience, and when you’re consistently focused on how you’re going to afford your next session, that can cause you even more anxiety than what you came into therapy with, and that’s painful. That’s why it’s great to be able to see a therapist who takes your insurance. You pay a copayment or possibly nothing at all, and you get to see a therapist who can help you with your mental health problems, whether you’re seeing a therapist as an individual or part of a couple.
When you can’t see a therapist who takes your insurance
You may not be able to find a therapist who takes your insurance in your area. Maybe you live in a remote area where there aren’t a lot of options for therapy. There could be some therapists who take your insurance, but perhaps they’re overloaded with clients. Maybe there’s a great therapist that treats your mental health issues, but they don’t take your insurance. If they’re not accepting insurance at all, chances are they charge a lot of money per session. You can’t afford to see them no matter how fantastic they are as a mental health provider. So what do you do?
Online counseling
Online counseling is an excellent alternative for when you can’t find a therapist who takes your insurance or you live in an area where therapists are few and far between. You can meet with an online counselor anywhere there’s a reliable internet connection. You can avoid worrying about how expensive out-of-network therapist is, or how the only providers who take your insurance aren’t accepting new patients. There are hundreds of online counselors to choose from, and there’s one who meets your needs. That’s the thing about online counseling, it that it’s growing in popularity and therapists that work in private offices expanding their practices and accepting clients online. Online counseling is convenient and affordable. Consider talking with an online counselor for mental health care. It might relieve the headache of trying to find a therapist who takes your insurance, and you appreciate it as flexible, comfortable and healing.