Common Myths About Counseling
My problems are not serious enough.
On Average people wait over 8 years to reach out for counseling or therapy. This is too long. Think about if you had a minor toothache, the sooner that you could see a dentist the better! The longer you wait the more severe the pain gets and the damage may become very difficult or repair or in extreme cases the tooth may have to be pulled. In a similar way, if people seek out support or help when you begin noticing your mental health is struggling it is usually easier and less severe to work on.
One rule of thumb to consider is that if you take medication for anxiety or depression, you are likely a good candidate. Medications for anxiety and depression are extremely useful tools, but medication cannot teach you to work on the root causes for your anxiety and depression. In fact, in most cases when medication is prescribed it is best to take the medication along with counseling or therapy. Learning good mental health tools is good for everyone.
Another time to consider counseling or therapy is if your patterns have been significantly changed. This could be many different patterns or routines such as sleep, relationship status, changes at work, etc. You do not need to have a chronic mental health diagnosis to seek counseling or even to have your health insurance pay for it, more about that later!
People may find out.
Many people are worried about the stigma attached to seeking out counseling or therapy. Common concerns that we hear about are that “this is a small town, someone will find out.” Licensed therapists are legally bound by confidentiality. We cannot even acknowledge that someone is or is not a client. With advances in technology you can also reach out to a licensed therapist throughonline counseling or telehealth. With online counseling, you have the choice to see your therapist online. You can have your counseling session from your home, office or car! Many people have taken advantage of getting started this way, but many of our clients find coming to counseling freeing. After the first few sessions, there is typically little to no concern about “people finding out.” Whether or not people would like to admit it, which is an issue in and of itself, we ALL have mental health. You would think it is ridiculous if someone gave you a hard time for going for a walk to heading to the gym. We must ALL take care of our mental health.
I don’t have time for counseling
Many people believe that they are too busy to come to counseling or therapy. This is a myth. Most counselors and therapists offer online counseling. This can be done without any travel time. Many clients choose to attend their sessions on lunch breaks or via walk and talk therapy (Learn about Walk & Talk Counseling Here), so they can move their body while working on their mental health. You can also request to have appointment times of different lengths, this is not always an option, but many times it is. It never hurts to ask. Most people who come through the counseling experience consider the 1 hour every week or two a wonderful investment where they not only learn about themselves, but learn tools to be successful for the rest of their lives.
It’s way too expensive
We have LOTS of people who believe this. The first thing that I was encourage people to do is to call their health insurance company, ask them “what are my outpatient mental health benefits,” “what is my financial responsibility,” and “does my plan cover telehealth?” If you are unsure about this call our office or any counseling office that you are considering using ask them to help you! Today, I am not aware of a health insurance plan that does not cover counseling on some level. In fact, if you have KY Medicaid or one of the KY Medicaid MCO insurances, mental health counseling is typically either no cost to you or would only cost you a small copay of about $3 per session, telehealth is covered. If you have commercial insurance through your employer or through an exchange, mental health is usually a covered benefit. It is usually the regular cost of your office visit. If you typically have a copay of $20 your counseling session would likely be $20, if you have to meet you deductible then your cost would be the contract rate the therapist has with that insurance company. Additionally, you can also use HSA or Flex Spending funds for your copays, coinsurance or deductible. You can learn more about that in our blog post Using HSA and Flex Spending for Counseling.
Some people prefer to see a therapist and pay their direct cash rate. There are many reasons that people choose to do this, but often it comes down to wanting to see a specialist that is not on the insurance network. You can also check out this former blog post about Counseling and Your Insurance here. If you choose to pay directly for counseling, in Western Kentucky for outpatient counseling or therapy the costs typically vary between $75-$225 per hour, with the average being about $100 per hour. This will typically be determined by the level of experience and specialty training of the therapist or counselor. When you consider the lifetime impact that most people receive from actively participating in therapy or counseling, it is well worth the investment. Cost can be a factor, but in most cases health insurance can help with the financial impact. However, even if you pay a full cash rate of an excellent therapist, there is a reason that rate it high. They are highly trained, skilled professionals who are committed to helping you on your path to change. The impact of that investment will serve you a lifetime.
If you have more questions or would like us to check your benefits at Compass Counseling you can call 270-777-4490 if you are in Henderson or Paducah or 270-215-4000 if you are in Owensboro. You can also book online at www.compasscounseling.com. We are in-network with most insurance companies including KY Medicaid.
Here’s the truth, you are overwhelmed, stuck and know something has got to change, but asking for help is hard. Most people think that their problems are not big enough for counseling and wait 8 years or more to reach out for help. At Compass Counseling we know that we all have mental health and you want to feel good about yourself and your relationships. Over the past 8 years, we have crafted an excellent team of professionals that have served thousands of people in Western KY and we want to help you on your path to change. Our Master's level therapists will support you and teach you skills to learn to manage the overwhelm and overcome your struggle. When you leave your first session, you will feel confident & ready to start on your path change. Connect with us today at www.compasscouseling.com or click here schedule an appointment.