How to find a therapist
This blog post is written by Dr. Amanda Goldstein, a board certified psychiatrist, from our wonderful friends at ThreeMDs, a blog that provides easily digestible, evidence-based, and integrative medical information.
Navigating health insurance can be frustrating and it may feel at times in direct opposition to the goals of providing the best healthcare. However, you should know your mental health benefits. The last thing I want is for you to view therapy as a financial burden. So, the first thing I recommend you do is call your insurance company and find out:
What is the co-pay to see an in-network psychiatrist? Is there a deductible? Is it the same co-pay to see a psychiatrist for medication and/or therapy?
What percentage do you reimburse for an out-of-network psychiatrist? Is there a deductible? Is there a maximum reimbursement per year? Is it the same percentage for medication and/or therapy?
What is the co-pay to see an in-network therapist? Is there a deductible?
What percentage do you reimburse for an out-of-network therapist? Is there a deductible? Is there a maximum reimbursement per year?
Is there a maximum number of appointments covered per year to see a psychiatrist for medication? Is there a maximum number of appointments covered per year to see a psychiatrist or therapist for therapy?
Once you have this information, you can decide how much you feel comfortable spending. The next thing I recommend is asking your current providers (most likely your primary care doctor*) for a few recommendations. Yes, I said a few. You need options when it comes to location, pricing, and fit. Find out if they take your insurance or how much they charge. Find out how long you would have to wait for an appointment. And if you don’t like the first therapist you see, then you have other options! If you feel comfortable asking, friends are another great source for referrals.
There are many excellent therapists out there and they all have different letters after their name (MD, PhD, PsyD, LCSW, LMFT, etc). A major difference between the degrees is the length of training, but not all training experiences result in a degree. When you read a provider’s “About Me,” you should get a sense of the extent of training, the areas of expertise, and the types of therapy offered. Experience and skill cannot be judged solely on the letters after someone’s name. That’s why a personal recommendation is so helpful!
The main difference between a psychiatrist (MD) and a psychologist (PhD) or therapist is that a psychiatrist can prescribe medication. Because a psychiatrist goes through the same four years of medical school as all other doctors, they are also able to identify if what you are experiencing could be due to another medical condition. On this note, if you are experiencing new mood/anxiety symptoms, please go get a physical with labs to make sure you are otherwise healthy (and have normal thyroid function). If you are unsure if you need medication, therapy, both, or neither, I recommend seeing a psychiatrist first. Psychiatrists are probably the best referral source because they know many therapists with varied specialties and can recommend the right person for you.
*You may be reading this and thinking: I don’t have a primary care provider (PCP). How do I find one of those?! If you live near a good teaching hospital (they train residents), then there are probably satellite primary care practices affiliated with the hospital. Many residents’ first job after training is at one of these practices, so you know you will be seeing a smarty with up-to-date knowledge. If this isn’t an option, then another easy way to find a PCP (or even a psychiatrist for that matter) is to use the “find a provider” function on your insurance company’s website. This will provide you with a list of in-network doctors, their contact info, and who is taking new patients.
Be kind to yourselves,
Dr. G
