What you want to know about therapy, but don't want to ask (Part 1)

 

Thank you for the contributions to this blog post! I appreciate the widespread willingness to submit questions and am happy to answer questions I receive about myself, therapy, and the search for a mental health provider.  Let's get started with the first three questions:

1.) How much does therapy cost?

 The cost of therapy depends on a few factors: who is providing the service and what their credentials are, insurance coverage, and the type of practice you are working with.

Firstly, costs can vary greatly depending upon whom is the mental health provider. The table below from Thervo (2021) illustrates the differences in average rates of various mental health providers. Notably, these figures are for specialists in Columbus, OH.

Specialist	Average Cost Per Session
Psychiatrist	$100 – $200
Psychologist	$70 – $150
Counselor	$20 – $80
Psychotherapist	$100 – $300

Insurance is also another variables that must be considered in examining the prices of counseling. Most of my clients who use insurance pay less than $50 per session, with the average session rate being about $15 per session. 

Another way to reduce costs is to go through a community mental health agency where session fees are generally lower or provided on a sliding scale to accommodate inconsistent incomes. For community mental health resources, check out Mental Health America, NAMI, and the National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics. 

2.) What kind of therapy should I look for? 

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, ACT, Existentialism, Person-Centered, Psychodynamic, the list goes on and on (and on and on and on...). It can be hard to know what types of interventions and theoretical orientations appeal to you. The good news is, this really isn't what you need to be worrying about when searching for a counselor. What matters most is that you find someone who you feel comfortable with, who understands you and helps you feel understood, and someone who feels safe and worthy of your trust. 

Rather than looking for a specific type of therapy, I would recommend focusing on finding someone that checks other boxes of importance to you. Consider facets of your identity such as religion or faith background, gender identity, or sexual orientation to guide your search. Is religion important to you? Perhaps a counselor who shares your faith tradition would be beneficial. Are you wanting to discuss gender transitioning? You'd want to make sure your counselor is well versed in the latest research literature and knows how to provide you with the necessary paperwork, as well as the emotional support that is important in these cases. 

3.) What happens in kids therapy? Is therapy even helpful for kids?

Therapy can certainly be helpful for kids! Just as kindergarten looks different from college, therapy with kids looks different from therapy with adults. With kids, I frequently use play therapy techniques, which means that instead of relying on talking and asking the child to verbalize their thoughts and feelings, we engage through play. For a child, it can be much easier to show, rather than tell. Fortunately, mental health is a growing conversation with children and many movies and tv shows aimed at children help this. One of my favorite tools are my stuffed characters from "Inside Out". It can be hard for a kid to say "I'm sad and feel like no one cares", but easy for them to pick up the "Sadness" doll and give her a hug because they want her to feel cared for. 

                            (Photo via Chip and Co.)

In working with kids, most therapists (myself included) emphasize building rapport and trust. A child, especially a child who has been abused or neglected, will likely be hesitant to trust adults and slow to feel comfortable. It is important that they see me as someone on their level, not an authority figure who will punish them. Building a safe environment where kids can feel comfortable, safe, and valued is one of the most important parts of kids therapy. It isn't uncommon for me to sit on the floor with a child, use video clips from their favorite shows or movies, or even use animals like therapy dogs or the child's family pet to help the child feel more welcome and at ease. Only after establishing this environment, can a child feel free to express themselves freely. 

An important consideration in working with children is confidentiality and it's limits. This is a huge topic with lots of questions, so it will be covered in it's own blog post! The sticky note version is that children are still entitled to confidentiality, though a parent or guardian may be informed of certain aspects of treatment, namely the following: if the child is in danger of hurting themselves, hurting someone else, or being hurt by someone. 

That rounds out part one of this series! Thank you for your questions, and please keep asking, engaging, and sharing. 

Look out for part two coming soon!