As of January 1st 2025, I will continue to offer online professional counseling under my PA license that is limited to Pennsylvania residents with private insurance. I will no longer be able to take any Medicaid insurance. There may be a few third-party Medicare plans that would still be covered.
I will be working with many EAP programs again, also limited to Pennsylvania residency.
Everyone experiences normal ‘depression’ and ‘anxiety’. Changes that are a part of life may contribute to our experience of these ‘feelings’. Navigating careers and educational experiences and options; balancing relationships with friends, family, children, spouses, colleagues, and employers; learning how to communicate better with all of the above!
Unfortunately, our current culture encourages the ‘diagnosing’ of these human experiences to the point that even ‘normal’ anxiety and depression are elevated to pathological levels. Over medication, especially of ‘anxiety’, may have in some cases actually intensified the symptoms and created other health problems that would have been avoided if homeopathic approaches had been taken initially.
Why does the ‘culture’ encourage pathologizing of our lives!?
A big reason could be that insurances only cover ‘diagnosed’ conditions– and often encourage practitioners indirectly to over diagnosis and recommend the use of medications. For this reason, I am finding more people avoiding the deductible and copay confusion of their insurances– with all the labeling and documentation– that can be inaccurate and misleading. They are choosing a ‘cash option’ approach of working with an experienced Personal Coach. Unlike ‘formal’ counseling, Personal Coaching is not covered by insurances –which require pathologizing and labeling, extensive documentation, and a ‘paper trail’ of personal information in order to be submitted for reimbursement. With most high deductible insurances plans, the cash option even for formal counseling support would be less expensive than paying the ‘allowable deductible fee’ that go toward a deductible that isn’t likely to be reached in a calendar year. Personal Coaching is often meeting the needs of people who are struggling with temporary life circumstances, that are seeking unbiased support and direction, and a healthier more confident approach and mindset for their life!
That being said, I do believe that there are more extreme and chronic Mental Health conditions that do require more intensive treatment and diagnostic guidelines for care. These are the individuals that benefit from and need ongoing care over a lifetime for chronic MH conditions. But it has been my experience that these are not the majority of the people seeking mental health support! I find that so many people are not informed and do not understand the differences between the ‘normal’ and temporary challenges they need help with in life. This large group of people that do NOT need to be labeled and pathologized by an insurance/pharmacology industry– but end up there anyway.
I have had over 30 years of experience working with a full range of mental health conditions, including inpatient and the more chronic conditions, that do require more intensive treatments and medications. I am happy to help you evaluate your level of need, and expect that some people that do not want a mental health label– do meet criteria and need a higher level of intervention anyway. If someone seeking a Life Coaching approach is determined to meet DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for chronic MH conditions and/or are falling in the moderate to severe range of symptoms (including all levels of substance abuse and addiction), I am morally and ethically obligated to defer treatment and recommend more appropriate levels of care. Beyond this simple obligation, please know that I will do all I can to educate, assist, and guide you to your best outcome options.