Why I don't take insurance

I am private pay only, which means I do not take insurance. Thus, your therapy record is completely private. I can provide you with a superbill that may be submitted to insurance to reimburse the cost of therapy, if you would like. I take client care very seriously and currently, my professional ethics do not align with insurance companies, who may require mental health providers to submit a mental health diagnosis to cover the cost of therapy as "necessary" to provide care. While I do believe that an accurate mental health diagnosis can be crucial to understanding and coping with a true mental illness, handing out "trash can" diagnoses to be covered by insurance is unethical and can have far reaching negative repercussions. Victims and people who reach out for support counseling services have real, legitimate, and normal feelings about and reactions to life events. When victims and those who do not have a mental illness are covered without being pathologized, I will re-negotiate my stance on taking insurance. People should feel free to make their own decisions about their care, explore their emotions, create goals at their own pace, and utilize the methods that resonate for them... without being pathologized. As a private pay client, you are responsible for your own path to wellness, your finances and privacy, and to make decisions that are right for you.