The Benefits of Seeking the Help of a Therapist

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Sara Myers, MA, LMFT, CMHS

I love helping people gain insight into their own attachment needs, values, and communication styles so they can experience loving, supportive, successful relationships with others. I have spent most of my career in Community Mental Health gaining experience as a Child and Family Therapist where I help children and families transform relationships through attachment, communication, and play. I continue to work as a Child Mental Health Specialist in conjunction with my private practice. I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Arizona State University and a Masters degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Antioch University, Seattle.

Security-Minded: Sara Myers Therapy Cybersecurity Best Business Practices

  • Internet-connected security software
  • Encrypted hardware and software

Online Therapy Benefits:

  • Increased access for those living in areas with limited access to healthcare.
  • Reduced costs (no transportation costs, less time missed from work, and no child care expenses.)
  • Evening and weekend hours are available.
  • Private counseling in the comfort of your own home.

Online therapy is recognized as a means for accessing mental health services. In our world of technology, we communicate at a pace faster than ever before. As remarkable as technology is, there are strong debates around whether online therapy can be effective. As a therapist, I have had experience in both face-to-face counseling services and online services. I have been successful with both online and in-person interventions. Online therapy provides accessibility to services in a warm and trusting face-to-face therapeutic environment.

Accepted Insurance Plans:

  • First Choice Health Network
  • Premera
  • Regence

Plan ahead. Call your insurance company and ask:

  • Do I have “outpatient” mental health coverage?
  • Is telehealth covered under my plan?
  • Does my coverage require preapproval or a referral from my primary care provider?
  • How many sessions do I have per year?
  • What is my deductible and co-pay?
  • What percentage of my psychotherapy fees are covered?

Out-of-network provider:

A superbill will be provided for clients wanting to submit an out-of-network claim. Clients may be able to seek full or partial reimbursement from employers or insurance companies by submitting an invoice/ receipt.  

Prior to establishing services, please call your insurance company to see if you will be reimbursed for my services.  

Here are some questions to ask your insurance company:

  • Do I have “outpatient” mental health coverage?
  • Is telehealth covered under my plan?
  • Does my coverage require preapproval or a referral from my primary care provider?
  • How many sessions do I have per year?
  • What is my deductible and co-pay?
  • What percentage of my psychotherapy fees are covered?

Private Pay Benefits:

  • No mandatory diagnosis
  • High quality service
  • Better therapist/client match
  • Improved outreach

Managed care systems (also known as Insurance) require a mental health diagnosis to pay for services, and in many cases relationship issues are not covered. In therapy, a diagnosis may be used as a tool to direct treatment, and by eliminating a diagnosis, I can ensure ethical, honest, and accurate care. The benefit is that the services rendered will focus on therapy instead of paperwork, and the client is not labeled as having a mental illness. Private pay allows clients to seek out professional expertise that best suits the client's specific needs.

HIPPA

FAQ:

After assessing your concerns I will provide a recommendation for treatment. Therapy often begins on a weekly basis to build trust/connection. Depending on the concerns communicated, therapy could occur biweekly, one time each month, or as often as necessary. The initial intake for an individual is 90 minutes. Each follow up session is 50 minutes. The initial intake for a couple is 90 minutes where I meet with the couple together, followed by two 50 minute individual assessments. Each follow up session thereafter is 50 minutes. This process allows me to attain a complete assessment prior to recommending treatment. Therapy ends when your treatment goals have been met.

I believe there are benefits to both depending on what the client is seeking. As a therapist, I am licensed in Marriage and Family Therapy (LMFT). I have attained specialized training as a Child Mental Health Specialist (CMHS). My profession is regulated to protect the needs of both the therapist and the client. I hold a Masters degree (MA) and utilize theory and research as a foundation on which interventions are chosen to help clients gain insight into difficulties reported. Also, I am required to attain continuing education regularly so that I may integrate current findings, approaches, and techniques to treatment.

To my understanding and research, life coaching is not as strongly regulated and there are not strict educational requirements to becoming a life coach, but many life coaches have taken course work to support their profession. So, I invite you to do your research when choosing a provider.

 

 

I invite you to do your research as to what best meets your needs. I believe that when a person has 24-hour access to a therapist for support they will often react to stress in an emotional knee jerk fashion. Because of the reward of a quick response back from the therapist, a knee jerk emotional response will be reinforced resulting in the person not learning to process their experience. For example, have you ever sent an emotionally charged email or text message and then with time and reflection thought to yourself, “I wish I hadn’t sent that, if only I had given it more time I probably wouldn’t have reacted like I did." I believe that change occurs when problems can be given time and space for processing. By meeting with me on a weekly, biweekly, and/or monthly basis you are allowed the time needed to process what is causing you distress as well as apply any suggested interventions. You might find that with time and reflection you can solve the problem on your own.

Contact me for a FREE 15-minute consultation.

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