Lately, I have had an uptick in calls from clients in their 20s-30s seeking psychotherapy, but not for reasons you may suspect.
Read on…
When I conduct the free consultation call I ask what the presenting issue(s) is that they are looking to resolve by engaging in therapy. The answer, lately, has come as some surprise to me. “I am looking to engage in therapy because I’ve never tried it before.”
Okay. Cool!
The natural next line of questions usually go a little deeper, looking for presenting symptoms that may be bothering the prospective client(s). I am looking to see if I am a good fit for their needs. If we vibe on the call. If we can work together.
Usually, after a bit of a pause, the response is some form of: “there isn’t any stigma for seeing a therapist anymore. I’m just looking to explore my emotions so I don’t get anxious or depressed.”
Maybe its because of the global pandemic? Maybe an uptick in the news and social media about mental health care? Maybe the sense of global trauma from 1-1/2 years of loss? Maybe the isolation from quarantine? Whatever it may be, the fact is (from my perspective) there seems to be a shift on what younger adults think about mental healthcare, and this is a good thing.
Keep it up! Be proactive!
But what happens when these individuals want to use insurance?
This is a little more tricky. In the United States, insurance for mental healthcare has been designed to reimburse therapists for treating individuals with a mental health diagnosis. Therapists use a book called the Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5 (DSM-5) to form official diagnoses. A combination of consultation call, intake assessment, screening tools and direct conversations about symptoms, history, family history, past engagement with therapists, perhaps medication prescribed by psychiatrists are all used to formulate diagnoses. There are 157 diagnoses in this manual.
But what happens when a proactive client has no diagnosis? Meaning, someone wants to engage in mental health therapy to explore emotions and feelings, dissect responses to work place or personal stress, and learn new coping skills; but, they do not present with symptoms matching reimbursable diagnoses in the DSM-5?
Licensed therapists who take insurance do so with the understanding they will uphold their professional ethics, the law, and their contract with insurers to ethically diagnose only if symptoms match the diagnosis being applied for reimbursement. And the intent is that we help people either manage their symptoms or eradicate them if possible through engagement in therapy.
So what do we do at Nodelman Counseling & Psychotherapy when clients wish to engage in proactive therapy? Our therapist has a very honest conversation about the limitations of insurance during the consultation call and educates the client on diagnoses. The therapist also offers many options for moving forward, including assessing through a thorough intake session. The therapist utilizes many screening tools looking at wide-ranging issues. If there is no diagnosis, the therapist discusses options for moving forward without insurance. There are always options. Don’t let this stop you from calling.
If my insurance won’t pay should I still consider therapy?
ABSOLUTELY!
Being proactive about your mental health is like weight training for your body. Ideally you do it up front so that you improve chances of remaining healthy. The reality is, not everyone learns how to optimize mental health and therapy can assist in building healthy coping skills, mapping default patterns no longer serving, exploring relationships and family dynamics and having a non-judgmental, confidential space to explore pressing issues.
At Nodelman Counseling & Psychotherapy, Jordan Nodelman, LCSW, has many clients who seek proactive therapy. They have come to find the therapy space as a key component of their self-care regime and have also reported finding that they are happier in work and life as a result. They look to Jordan as a confidant.
Come see how EMDR and Brainspotting can effectively help with proactive therapy.
At this therapy practice we see professionals, managers, C-Level executives, and First Responders (Police, Fire, EMT, ER Professionals) seeking therapy for proactive reasons and self-care therapy in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and Virginia.
We offer in person therapy in Fort Lauderdale, telehealth therapy in Florida and telehealth therapy in Virginia.
If you are interested in beginning therapy, Jordan Nodelman is here for you. Providing EMDR, Brainspotting and other therapy services to clients in Florida and Virginia by tele-health, Jordan also sees clients in-person looking for a therapist in Broward County, FL. Jordan provides therapy for PTSD, First Responder therapy, and trauma therapy in Florida.
Contact us today for your free, 15-minute consultation. Click here.
