Congratulations!

Congratulations on making a big step towards caring for your wellness and allowing yourself to be in your #HealingGirlEra. We are so proud of you! Not a lot of people come to the point of realizing that need support, but you did. That means something! I want to welcome you to sit with this and give your self a pat on the back. You deserve it. It won’t be an easy journey but it will be so worth it. Your future self will thank you!

1. Identify Your Why + Your Goals

To get you grounded and focused, identifying your why and goals are pivotal.

Therapists have niches and specializations in problems they work well with. Being specific about your why and your goals will assist you in determining the type of therapist and which therapists may be a fit for you.

If you able to find a therapist that aligns with you and your needs, the less likely you’ll be disappointed in the quality of services you receive. Also, it provides your therapist direction in how to structure your sessions, ultimately holding you accountable in your own therapy progress.

2. Insurance vs Self-pay

There are a couple ways to pay for therapy: health insurance or self-pay. Each are great options, but they have their pros and cons.

If you utilize health insurance for sessions, it would typically be cheaper where you’ll have to cover part due to co-insurance or pay a co-pay. However this definitely depends on your insurance carrier and plan. Contact your insurance to determine whether outpatient behavioral health is covered or part of your health insurance plan. However if you use your health insurance, will have to receive a formal diagnosis and that gets reported to the insurance company and becomes part of your medical record. Some may or may not be in favor of this because of the impact it has on applying for life insurance, and other medically based incentives. In contrast, having a diagnosis can also provide evidence for additional support and need to care for your well-being such as medication, and other diagnosis based programs.

In regards to the self-pay, pricing can range. It has been observed to cost as low as $75 and as high as $300. If their price is too high, you can inquire if they have a sliding scale, and ask if you are eligible. Sliding scales are typically based on income, and family size. A benefit of self-pay is that a diagnosis is not specifically required, and your insurance does not need to have access to your notes which some can feel a sense of comfort as an added layer of privacy.

Give your payment options some thought so when you go on your search, you’ll have some filters on who would be a better fit.

3. Search + Make a List

Let’s go shopping!

Searching for your new therapist can be super exciting and kind of overwhelming. Therefore, using the details spoken above as filters or criteria for you as you narrow down your choices.

Don’t know where to start? Check out our recommended directories to get you going.

Also, remember since COVID-19, Telehealth has been a rising option to receive therapy where you can meet in the comfort of your home, or in a reasonable, private space that fits for you. If you are a traditional girly, and would love being able to meet with your therapist in person, that is still an option!

4. Make Contact

Sounds easy enough. Our rule of thumb is that if the therapist does not respond with 24-48 hours on via email or phone call, it’s a dub. On to the next one.

When a therapist makes contact with you, you would usually either be scheduling an intake or a consultation. We will talk more about consultations and intakes in the next section.

5. Show Up for the First Appointment

You’ve gotten this far! Show up for yourself. Remember your why, and your goals. This is time for yourself. this is time for your self-care. With that being said, here’s the difference between intakes and consultations.

Intakes are full comprehensive assessments where the therapist would ask about your full personal history, challenges, strengths, weakness, and goals. This can take an hour or more split between one to three appointments.

Consultations are an opportunity to ask the therapist any questions you have about them and their practice before making a commitment. Basically interview them, just as they will be interviewing you to see if you are a good fit for them as well.

If they are a good fit, schedule that follow-up appointment or first official appointment. Which may or may not an intake. If they are not your vibe, that’s okay! Feel free to communicate how you would like to explore your options and thank them for their time.

6. Make Your Next Appointment or Reach Out to the Next Therapist

You attended your first appointment with a therapist! Whether or not you are going with the first one as your regular therapist, the choice is yours! You are in charge of your wellness journey. Good luck on your #HealingJourney!