Why Is Good Therapy So Expensive? And Why Don't A Lot of Therapists take Insurance?
The mental health field is about helping others, healing from trauma, learning from unhealthy patterns and moving towards peace, wellness, fulfillment, calm, amongst so many other things. AND it’s about MONEY. Yes. MONEY. And I’m talking about A LOT OF MONEY.
The average therapist spends thousands of dollars- well in the double-digits- just to get basic level clinical training in their Master’s program. If they also happen to get a PhD, we are now talking about anywhere close to a six-figure investment in total, depending on where they went to school. Now you can add all of the trainings, workshops, certifications, supervisions, and consultations, and the investment to enhance their clinical skills and be the BEST therapist for their clients skyrockets. Therapists also have their own therapists to make sure that they dealing with their own “stuff” so that they are not bringing it into their professional work. If your therapist owns their own therapy business, they also need to be able to cover their business costs as well.
So you get where I’m going with this? The therapists that most clients want to work with because of their specialties, all the fancy letters after their names, the testimonials given by former clients, ARE expensive and rightfully so.
Now, you might be saying that you totally get that they’re expensive but that’s not the problem. The problem for you is that so many therapists are not in network with insurance companies. You are RIGHT. The reason for that is not because the therapist doesn’t want to. As a therapist, I can confidently speak for the majority of us in the profession and say that we wish therapy was more accessible to everyone, even for ourselves, BUT insurance companies make it impossible for it to be that way. Although, there has been some minimal progress, especially since the Covid-19 pandemic, unfortunately, mental health wellness is not one of the most coveted values in our society and the reimbursement rate for clinical professionals is ridiculously low. Below, I summarize the top 3 reasons why I’m not in network with insurance companies.
Reason #1 Why I’m Not In Network: You Have to Be Given A Diagnosis
In order for your insurance to cover your therapy sessions, you must be given a diagnosis. Even if it’s not appropriate, there has to be a diagnosis. For example, if you are in therapy because you need support in coping with your recent break-up, you will have to be diagnosed with Depressive Disorder, Anxiety Disorder, or Adjustment Disorder at the very least. If you’ve read my about me section in my website, you already know that I am not in favor of labeling life challenges as a mental illness.
Reason #2 Why I’m Not In Network: It’s Not Completely Confidential
If you or your child eventually needs a federal background check, wants to go to the army, or a variety of other reasons, a diagnosis can be disclosed through your insurance company. It’s important to me that my clients feel safe to open up to me knowing that what’s said to me will stay between us.
Reason #3 Why I’m Not In Network: Insurance companies will then decide your treatment
Insurance companies determine the number of sessions and the frequency. Sometimes you may benefit from longer sessions, or twice a week, or maybe just once a month. This is a decision I feel most comfortable making in collaboration with my client, not one that I want dictated by an outside source.
Despite these reasons, I’m very aware that some people want to use some type of insurance benefit to help with the cost of therapy. Therefore, many therapists, including myself work with insurance companies as an out-of-network provider.
Dr. Minerva Guerrero is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Westchester, New York. She is the owner of Mind Matters Mental Health Counseling, offering telehealth services for all of New York State. She specializes in treating anxiety and trauma in adults. For more information about her, make sure to visit her website www.mindmattersmhc.com or follow her on Instagram: mindmattersmhc.