Therapy is just so expensive
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Anonymous
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My insurance has zero out of network coverage for therapists. I've now tried in-network therapists but they just aren't great. I can't find one with more than 5 years of experience and one of the ones I saw actually broke confidentiality (she would tell me all about her other patients and I'm guess would tell them about me). It seems like once a therapist is more seasoned, they stop taking insurance because they don't have to.
I have gotten several recommendations for good therapists but none of them take insurance. I can find someone for less than $200 a session if I take a newer therapist who is being supervised. And you can find therapists for under $100 per session if you are willing to take an intern. But an experienced therapist is at least $200 for a 50 minute session, often more. And based on my experience, I am just not sure it's worth it to see someone who isn't pretty experienced. I have childhood trauma and PTSD, I know my issues are complex and challenging. That's why I want therapy. But I'm not dealing with situational depression for a job loss or a someone who was mentally healthy my whole life and then needs help getting through grief. I have capital "I" Issues. It just feels like it's only for wealthy people. Spending $800-1000 a month on therapist means I'm basically saving nothing except a retirement contribution -- nothing for my kid's college fund, no other savings or investments beyond my existing 401k contribution. That seems irresponsible. And I don't even know if it will help yet. Just venting, I guess. I think therapy could help me but the kind of therapy I can afford seems minimally helpful. I guess my current plan is if my parents leave me any money when they pass, maybe I will spend it on therapy to help me process what happened in our family when I was young. I know that sounds morbid. But it seems like that might be the only way I can ever afford to do this (and even then I know I'll feel bad spending that sort of money on my own therapy instead of using it to help my kid or pay down or mortgage). |
Anonymous
Similar here. I wouldn't recommend inexperienced therapists. Certainly not interns or those under supervision. I was in therapy with someone good for about a year, when my PTSD was out of control, and yeah, it was costing me about $800 a month. I couldn't afford to continue to do it. But if you have a windfall, absolutely spend it on therapy and don't use it to pay down mortgage or help your kid. |
Anonymous
| I feel y. But therapy isn’t forever. |
Anonymous
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Priorities? Maybe your kid can start off at community college and transfer to an in-state option
If you make that your plan so that you can prioritize your mental health, just make sure to tell your kid ahead of time in case they want to emancipate and make themselves eligible for pell grants, or target lower ranked private schools that would give them a full ride for solid grades. The fact that you’re not making “investments “beyond your 401(k) is not really problematic and the larger scheme of things |
Anonymous
| Are there any insurance options with some out of network coverage? I changed jobs to get therapy for my kid partially covered. Obviously not realistic for everyone, but it was a huge financial benefit. |
Anonymous
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Try grow therapy, they match you based on insurance.
https://growtherapy.com/start/find-therapist-nb/ |
Anonymous
That is how I found the therapists I didn't like very much. |
Anonymous
| I think therapy is mostly useless. Medication at least for sure helps symptoms and its usually covered by insurance. |
Anonymous
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I tried an in-network therapist, who made some good, but not ground breaking points, at a time in my life when I was absolutely desperate. But for the rest, I just know I need to manage my Asperger's, generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder by myself. I have the Calm app, I try to reason myself out of anxious thoughts, I have breathing techniques for panic attacks, I try to have good sleep hygiene, surround myself with constructive people, etc.
OP, are you sure you can't self-study and self-talk your way to a healthier mindset? I apologize if I'm totally out of line. I am not in your shoes, obviously. |
Anonymous
Well, beggars can’t be choosers |
Anonymous
| Quite honestly if my insurance didn’t cover 100% of the therapy sessions, i would not do it. To pay $200+ for “that” seems ridiculous. I don’t believe these people are actually helping anyone. They are just really good listeners, that’s all. |
Anonymous
Therapy in and of itself is not "mostly useless." It can be life saving, life changing. But good therapists are very few and far between, and therapy with one that isn't good is "mostly useless" at best. |
Anonymous
| I know it’s not a substitute for a great therapist but you could search for well reviewed books or websites that address your issues and listen to some podcasts. There are some good therapists out there who do podcasts. |
Anonymous
Therapy does help people who are self-aware enough that they need therapy, but not self-aware enough to deal with their problems, or who have such severe problems that they are unable to help themselves. I do agree with you that I think a majority of the population in therapy could do the work entirely by themselves - except they don't want to and prefer to pay to feel accompanied, and why not, if they can afford it? I also think that many people default to therapy when in reality they or their loves ones should be in psychiatric care, getting their diagnoses and pharmaceuticals. So many parents I know prefer to think their kids needs "talk therapy" when in reality they need meds for ADHD and behavioral training for autism (which is not the same thing as therapy). |
Anonymous
| Yes, OP, it’s a big problem in the dc area. I hear friends in other parts of the country don’t have this issue. The therapists there take insurance. |