@alicegoldfuss A few things to know about therapy and insurance that most people don't know. If a therapist takes insurance, the insurance company then retains a right to see the notes from the session. The insurance company also potentially has the right to state the method used.
@alicegoldfuss If you pay out of pocket, this doesn't apply. Even if you submit for reimbursement. Also, to use insurance you need some diagnosis or code. If you don't use insurance the therapist doesn't have to give any kind of diagnosis and nothing will end up in an insurance file.
@alicegoldfuss Essentially paying out of pocket provides much greater privacy than if insurance is used. On top of what others already mentioned of insurance being a general pain for therapists to deal with.
@alicegoldfuss If cost is an issue, most therapists offer sliding scale. You prove income and they can work with you on fees. However, if you can afford it they have to ask you pay full price to avoid any potential discrimination or favoritism.
@alicegoldfuss Hope this was helpful. My wife is a therapist in North Carolina. It is possible some of this may differ by state, as a caveat.
@alicegoldfuss One final thing: if a university near you has a degree program you can potentially get seen there as they likely operate a therapy clinic. It will be with therapists in training, but the trade off is it is cheap. The therapist in this case will have oversight of course.
@alicegoldfuss Okay, some more thoughts to add on finding a therapist. First, don't worry over if they have a PhD. PhDs often mean the person went down a research route in school. It does not imply someone is better at therapy.
@alicegoldfuss And second, the most important thing is find a therapist who is a good fit. There are many different people, styles, and methods. It might take seeing two or three to find a good match. This is okay and normal! Don't stick around with someone who isn't working.
@alicegoldfuss Good luck. Therapy can make a difference. I hope you find someone who is great for you.
