We can all use a little help sometimes, especially now, right? Nothing can replace the support of friends and family, but there are times when we need more. Like the insight and direction from a skilled and empathic professional who has no vested interest in the outcome, other than helping us.
Seeking mental health support can be difficult for many people. Introverts may find it impossible to fathom a face to face session with a counselor due to the anxiety it evokes. Stoics “handle” any issue without complaining but suffer the mental and physical effects of suppressing their emotions. In both cases, in-person counseling may seem out of the question.
One silver-lining of the current pandemic is the increasing availability of online counseling. To provide services for their clients, many mental healthcare professionals have restructured their practices to offer phone and more importantly, video counseling sessions. Counselors benefit from seeing a client’s facial expressions and body language, so phone counseling has its limitations. Innovative companies such as Cisco, Mend and Zoom Video Communications give providers and patients access to secure online video systems.
Tele-medicine sessions may be covered by your insurance company. If you plan to use your behavioral health benefits, first check with your insurance company to see what their protocol is to access care remotely.
Be sure to:
- Verify your coverage for behavior health care and tele-medicine
- Determine what type of credentials a provider must have to be covered (MD, PhD or MA, for example)
- Confirm that the provider you wish to see is contracted with your insurance company and accepts your plan
- To find a qualified provider, access your insurance company’s list of Behavioral Health Specialists
If you do not have insurance that covers counseling and will be paying out-of-pocket, find a counselor by checking local online listings, asking friends and family for referrals or using a reliable free resource like, Psychology Today.
Virtual Counseling may be the best solution for getting the mental health care you need. Take care of yourself and be well.
#introverts #stoics #mentalhealth #telemed #virtualcounseling