Counseling in San Antonio
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I love living in San Antonio! The weather is great, culture is incredible, and the history is interesting; what I love most of all are the people. San Antonio has some of the most amazing, generous, friendly, and fun people. It is such a great honor and pleasure to be a counselor to the people of San Antonio.
Even though San Antonio is a large town with a smaller town feel, it can be difficult to find a counselor who is a good fit; this is completely normal! Beginning to search for a counselor is a little uncomfortable in the first place. You have to have already come to some sort of a realization that you need help with whatever is going on in your life, which often involves pain. Here are couple things to keep in mind when you’re thinking about counseling.
- Initial phone call: You’ve finally summed up the courage to call someone and tell them about what’s going on in your life and what do you get? A voicemail message. How frustrating and discouraging! This is often the case because counselors are either in session or not in a confidential setting where they can devote the attention to you that you deserve. Most counselors also do not employ receptionists. This is generally because having a receptionist is another possible area where confidentiality can be breached. Many counselors in a private practice setting just forgo this possibility. Bottom line, leave a message! The counselor will call you back she is out of session and available to give you her undivided attention.
- Sessions: Counselors normally have weekly sessions to begin therapy. This really jumpstarts the counseling process; it helps the relationship between the counselor and client form, starts to build hope that things can be different in your life, and will provided you with tangible steps to start making those changes. Sessions are typically 50 minutes unless otherwise discussed. Many counselors do not have evening and weekend sessions. or return calls on the weekend. This is normally time when they are with their families and practicing good self-care!
- Insurance: If you want to use your insurance for counseling services, it’s important to know a few things. First, contact your insurance company and inquire about your counseling benefits. “Mental Health” or “Behavioral Health” benefits are often different from your medical benefits. For instance, some insurance policies require that you meet your entire deductible before they will cover any portion of counseling fees. This is important to know when looking for a counselor. Additionally, inquire about out of network reimbursement. Many counselors are not in network with a lot of insurance companies and if you find one you like who, would be considered “out of network”, having this information will help you with the decision. Another thing to keep in mind is that for insurance to be billed for counseling services, a diagnosis is required. These are just some things to think about when considering using insurance to cover counseling expenses. While counseling is an expense and can be expensive, it can help to think of it as an investment; one that can have a profound positive impact on your day to day life and change the path for your future!
I hope this information helps you find a counselor who will be a great fit for you in San Antonio. If you’re interested in counseling in San Antonio and having difficulty finding the right person, feel free to call me at 210-789-9166 for a free 15 minute phone consultation. I’d be happy to hear about what’s happening and try to direct you to the right person. If you are looking for help with feeling overwhelmed and exhausted, you can read more about how I can help here or call me.