A Broken System, Part 2
System Check, Therapy and Counseling
Over the course of this series of blog posts, we’re considering ways that our system of
caregiving has broken down. In this post, we’ll look at signs of brokenness in the mental health care system—the network of caregivers who care for people struggling with
psychological pain and suffering.
The vast majority of human beings will, at some point in their lives, face an emotional or
psychological struggle that’s more than they can bear alone. When family, friends, church, and other supports prove insufficient, hurting people often turn for help to a counselor or therapist. How wonderful it is to be able to talk to trained, skilled professionals, many of whom
genuinely care for their clients!
Increasingly, however, mental health care now resembles the medical system, especially when it comes to how people get paid. If you have insurance, usually provided by your employer, you can afford to see someone. If you don’t, you may be out of luck. Then again, while you’re hoping to just be able to talk to someone, your mental healthcare provider needs to come up with a diagnosis. They won’t get paid without it. Then, there’s the paperwork they have to file, the liability insurance they have to carry, the licensure requirements they have to maintain, and the continuing education credits they have to pursue.
For some time now, licensed counselors and therapists have stopped taking insurance. It’s too much of a hassle. As a result, however, they may only be seeing people who can afford to pay their full rate. Most folks, as I’m sure you’re aware, can’t afford the cost of therapy. Licensed professional counselors typically charge over $100 per hourly session.
That adds up quickly! The premise of talk therapy and counseling is sound. We tend to get better emotionally, psychologically when we’ve got someone we can talk to. How to pay for it is a major problem—one that’s getting worse.
caregiving has broken down. In this post, we’ll look at signs of brokenness in the mental health care system—the network of caregivers who care for people struggling with
psychological pain and suffering.
The vast majority of human beings will, at some point in their lives, face an emotional or
psychological struggle that’s more than they can bear alone. When family, friends, church, and other supports prove insufficient, hurting people often turn for help to a counselor or therapist. How wonderful it is to be able to talk to trained, skilled professionals, many of whom
genuinely care for their clients!
Increasingly, however, mental health care now resembles the medical system, especially when it comes to how people get paid. If you have insurance, usually provided by your employer, you can afford to see someone. If you don’t, you may be out of luck. Then again, while you’re hoping to just be able to talk to someone, your mental healthcare provider needs to come up with a diagnosis. They won’t get paid without it. Then, there’s the paperwork they have to file, the liability insurance they have to carry, the licensure requirements they have to maintain, and the continuing education credits they have to pursue.
For some time now, licensed counselors and therapists have stopped taking insurance. It’s too much of a hassle. As a result, however, they may only be seeing people who can afford to pay their full rate. Most folks, as I’m sure you’re aware, can’t afford the cost of therapy. Licensed professional counselors typically charge over $100 per hourly session.
That adds up quickly! The premise of talk therapy and counseling is sound. We tend to get better emotionally, psychologically when we’ve got someone we can talk to. How to pay for it is a major problem—one that’s getting worse.
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