Your questions, answered

How should I find a therapist based on insurance?

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I want to use my insurance to pay for therapy directly. What should I do?

If you want to use your insurance for therapy:

  1. Log in to your insurance provider’s online portal.

  2. Search for therapists who are in-network.

  3. You can also use therapy directories like PsychologyToday and filter by your insurance type.

I don’t want to use insurance, or I’m open to paying out-of-pocket. How can I find a therapist?

You can:

  • Use therapy search sites like PsychologyToday.com

  • Search by keywords and use filters to match your needs (specialty, location, session format, etc.)

What if a therapist doesn’t take insurance directly?

Many therapists who are not in-network still work with out-of-network benefits. This means:

  • They can provide a superbill (a detailed therapy receipt)

  • You submit the superbill to your insurance for partial reimbursement

How do I know if I have out-of-network benefits?

Check your insurance plan and ask:

  • Do I have out-of-network mental health benefits?

  • What is my deductible?

  • What percentage of sessions will be reimbursed?

This information will help you understand what you may get back when seeking therapy out of network.

There are many different types of therapy. How do I know which one is best for me?

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Two common buckets include psychodynamic and behavioral therapy. Some questions you can ask yourself include:

  • Do I want homework and to clearly track my progress along the way? If yes, you might want something more structured like cognitive behavioral therapy.

  • Do I want to understand myself better, especially why I am the way I am, and practice growing in a safe environment? In that case you may be more inclined toward psychodynamic psychotherapy.

  • Do I want to learn clear tools to ground and promote change (behavioral)? Or am I knowledgeable about these tools already and need help changing on a deeper level (psychodynamic)?

Keep in mind, many therapists are integrative, and combine multiple approaches in their work. You don't need to be an expert on therapeutic orientations in order to find a therapist.

If you are curious to learn more, this website provides a more detailed explanation of therapy types: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/types-of-therap

How do I know if a therapist is the right fit?

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See if you resonate with their bio. Then take the next step of booking a free consultation call, and notice how you feel when initially speaking with them. Do they feel competent and safe? Try to trust your gut. 

Additionally, consider if you have preferences for gender, age, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or other social identities.

Give yourself some time to assess fit. Many people with relational trauma experience feelings of distrust while building a new relationship. Along the way, if you feel uncomfortable or misunderstood, or don't like something your therapist said, challenge yourself to say something. See if they are open to understanding you, appreciate the feedback/opportunity to find a common ground, and can adjust to work with you if needed. If you feel after some time that the fit is still off, it might be time to find a new therapist. Your therapist may even be able to help you with this.

Most therapists have their own network of clinicians. If you reach out to a therapist who is not accepting clients at this time or can't work with you for other reasons, you can ask them for recommendations to other trusted therapists who might fit your needs.

What do all the letters mean?

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In New York, a few different degrees lead to psychotherapist careers. LCSW's, LMFT's and LMHC's are master's level clinicians who attended social work or counseling psychology programs, completed post-graduate school training, and received their full license. PsyD's and PhD's are doctorate-level clinicians. Programs can differ slightly, but all licensed clinicians are educated and trained to provide psychotherapy and meet national and state-level standards.

One major question to ask yourself while searching for a therapist is have I experienced trauma? Trauma is the lasting, psychological wound we experience from an event or events that overwhelm our ability to cope. Common causes of psychological trauma include psychological abuse, sexual assault, chronic bullying, chronic racism, emotionally immature and/or narcissistic caregivers, and neglect. Sometimes it can be difficult to tell if you have experienced these types of harm, in which case your symptoms can be a very helpful indicator. Common symptoms of trauma include difficult to cope with depression, anxiety, hypervigilance, quick startle response, nightmares, dissociation (feeling numb, daydreaming, spacing out), and difficulty feeling safe around others.