How do I decide which therapist to see?

What is most important in your choice of therapist is whether you feel that the therapist can accurately hear what you are trying to say. Feeling safe in the therapist’s office, encouraged that your problems can be sorted out, and experiencing empathy in the therapist’s remarks are all important indications that the therapist can help you.

How do I find a therapist?

A personal referral from a friend or colleague whom you trust is a good way to find a therapist. You can also ask for a referral from your physician or other health professional, or from a religious leader in your church or synagogue. If your insurance policy covers mental health, your insurance company will also be able to provide you with a list of referrals. At your place of employment, you may have an Employee Assistance Program or EAP, which can provide an assessment of your problems, short-term treatment, and referrals for longer-term therapy.

Once you have a few names of therapists, the best way to determine which one to see is to interview each one briefly on the telephone. From that interview, you can pick two or three therapists to meet in person.

Some of the questions you might want to ask:

• Are you licensed?
• How long have you been in practice?
• Do you specialize in any particular type of therapy?
• Are there certain types of problems you deal with frequently?
• What does a session cost?
• How do I pay?
• Will you accept my insurance?
• Can we arrange a time for me to come in?

Keep in mind that it may take several sessions for both you and your therapist to assess whether you can work together effectively.

Your therapist should demonstrate attuned listening skills. The focus of the session should be on you and not on the therapist. A therapist’s questions should be kind, relevant, and can often open a new perspective. A competent therapist will want a history and will go over the boundaries of the therapy, including fees, meeting times, how to handle emergencies, vacations, etc. Remember that sex, romance or a physical relationship are never part of therapy.

What insurance do you take?

I am no longer a provider for most insurance companies. I am still a preferred provider for Pacific Care and United Behavioral Health. If you search your insurance company’s website, you will find referrals for in-network providers who can see you for your contracted copayment.

Most PPO and POS insurance plans offer out-of-network payment for psychotherapy and may pay a portion of my fee. You should check with your insurance company to verify your mental health coverage for outpatient mental health services provided by an out-of-network, licensed psychologist.

At the end of each month I will provide you with a statement of my services and charges which you can submit to your insurance company for reimbursement. In a few rare cases, I will bill the insurance company directly for their portion of the payment.

What if I can’t afford to pay for therapy?

Community Mental Health Centers were founded to cover folks who can’t afford therapy. They often have a broad base of on-site resources, including therapists with different skills, therapists in training, psychiatrists who can provide medication, and social workers who help with such problems as financial distress, homelessness and domestic violence. In our community, the Mountain Resource Center offers many of these services. They can be reached at 303-838-7552.

• In-network refers to using providers who have contracted with an insurance plan to provide services.
• Out-of-network refers to providers that are not contracted with your insurance plan. There is often a partial payment made by insurance companies for out-of-network providers.
• HMO means Health Maintenance Organization. These plans don’t usually offer out-of-network benefits. The providers in HMOs have agreed to accept payment defined by the organization and cannot bill you for anything beyond that contracted rate. HMOs usually have a primary care physician who manages your health care. He/she makes referrals to specialists, including mental health specialists.
• Managed Care refers to companies that mental health care organizations have formed to reduce insurance costs and/or usage. They have their own panel of providers and reviewers who work with your insurance company. They are the middleman who regulates whether treatment should be provided, and for what period of time. They operate within the framework of “medical necessity” which is based on a short-term therapy model of 1 to 8 sessions in which the goal is to control acute symptoms.
• Mental Health Carve Out means that your insurance company does not provide mental health coverage on its own. Instead, it carves out its mental health coverage to another insurance company which often provides only mental health services. You should ask your insurance company if it carves out its mental health services. If so, what is the name of the insurance company, and how you would contact them.
• PPO means Preferred Provider Organization, and POS means Points of Service plan. They both offer you similar options. For example, if you use their preferred provider in-network, you will pay a reduced copayment and may not be liable for the deductible. However, in either of these plans, if you choose to use an out-of-network professional, your copayment will be higher and your deductible will probably not be waived.
• Fee for Service means that you pay the therapist directly for his/her services. Fee for service is the only way to guarantee confidentiality because no insurance forms are submitted and there is no exchange of personal information with the insurance company. Most fee for service therapists request payment at the end of each session.

What do those initials after doctors’ names mean?

• MD means medical doctor, and in mental health a medical doctor is a psychiatrist. He/she has specialized in the study of mental health and illness. In Colorado, only psychiatrists can prescribe psychiatric medications.
• PhD means doctor of philosophy. Clinical psychologists have this degree with a specialty in psychology or counseling psychology. They have completed several thousand hours of supervised training in mental health agencies and passed a state board examination in order to practice.
• PsyD means doctor of psychology. Clinical psychologists with this degree have more clinical emphasis than psychologists with a PhD. They have also completed several thousand hours of supervised training and passed the state board examination in order to be licensed to practice.
• MFT means marriage and family therapist. This is a Master’s trained psychologist with a background in psychology or counseling who has completed internships and examinations in order to be licensed to practice.
• LCSW means licensed clinical social worker. These mental health professionals have completed a Masters degree in social work. They have a number of supervised clinical training experiences and have passed a licensing exam to practice in Colorado.
• LPC means licensed professional counselor. These clinicians have a Master’s degree in psychology or counseling psychology. They have 2000 clinical hours of experience, 100 hours of supervision, and have passed an exam in order to practice in Colorado.