You’re worth investing in.

For informed care, it's vital to know the differences between using private pay and insurance to access mental health services. Many clients I work with prioritize keeping their medical information confidential and prefer to pay out-of-pocket. See above for my listed fee for private pay.

I do accept some types of insurance through Path Mental Health to increase access to care. You can find me listed on their directory at www.rula.com

It’s important to note that Burnout Treatment, Personal Growth Life Coaching, and Immigration Evaluations are not “covered” by health insurance services.

While HIPAA laws and regulations apply to using both private pay and insurance for services, there are important differences to note when it comes to keeping your health information confidential.

Paying out-of-pocket ensures that your private health information remains undisclosed to third-parties.

There are a few legal and ethical exceptions to confidentiality when using either option, which will be shared with you prior to beginning treatment.

Private pay allows you to receive specialized care specific to your needs so that you can focus on your wellbeing.

When you use insurance for mental health services, you may be connected with a therapist who is not a good match for what you're looking for; you may encounter waiting lines; or be allowed only a certain number of covered sessions.

This may negatively impact your employment, possibly increase your insurance premium, among other adverse effects. I encourage potential clients to do your own research and select an option that works best for you.

Using insurance for mental health services works for some, especially if cost is a concern. I do accept some forms of insurance through Path Mental Health to increase access to care. However, most people don't know that when you use your health insurance to pay for therapy, your therapist is required to submit your diagnosis and treatment notes to the insurance company in order to be reimbursed.

This may expose your private health information to other parties, including insurance agents paid to look for ways to deny your coverage. Also, insurance does not cover Burnout Treatment nor Personal Growth Life Coaching services.

Another challenge with using insurance to pay for services is that you may need to meet what insurance providers call, "medical necessity". This often means that a therapist needs to give you a more severe diagnosis than what you may be experiencing, in order for your insurance coverage to pay out.

In the case of Burnout Syndrome, the DSM 5, which is the manual used for diagnosing and on which insurance companies rely on to pay for treatment, does not recognize burnout as a treatable illness, in spite of it being recognized by the World Health Organization as an officially recognized mental health concern (2022).

For some individuals with acute mental health crises, or who may be experiencing psychosis, medical stabilization may be necessary. In this instance, health insurance may be helpful.

However, for challenges that are impacting functioning, but which do not require hospitalization, treatment for burnout can be conducted through weekly online sessions or through life coaching services.

Diagnosing in this instance may be “labeling” a problem that has more to do with a life transition or adjustment, a condition which is treatable and for which a possibly stigmatizing diagnosis does not need to follow you in your medical records.