How to pay for counseling without insurance in Wake Forest NC.

You know finding the counseling in Wake Forest NC isn’t always the easiest process. Counseling is an investment in you and you need to find the right person and place to invest in your time and energy.

You know it’s something you need to do, but the amazing counselor you found doesn’t take insurance. Or you may not even have insurance. Or your insurance has a deductible that’s so high you’ll never meet it in the calendar year. Well, darn. How do you pay for counseling without insurance? We have some ideas for you!

Awhile back we did a blog on some options – you can read that here. Some of my clients told me they couldn’t do some of those things due to transportation issues or family constraints. I’ve been on the lookout ever since to find some options that will work if you have just a computer and a few skills. Here are some additional options for making enough money per week to cover the cost of amazing therapy – and maybe even set some money aside for other things!

Try transcription or captioning.

Rev.com allows you to become a freelancer and watch videos and type what you hear. Simple as that. It pays pretty decently, too! On the low end, at $0.45 per video minute, you can make $27/hour. If you work 10 hours per week, you’d make $270. So, that could be two hours when you get home from work, after the kiddos are in bed, or even in the morning if you get up a little earlier. And, if you can translate another language you can make even more.

Try being a virtual assistant

There are a lot of folks who own small business who need some administrative help. If you have a good grasp on something like Microsoft or Google products, you may be able to make some money helping them get things done. Upwork is a place where you can find projects on which to work. A quick search of available jobs turned up things like copying/pasting data from an email database into an Excel spreadsheet for 10-30 hours per week. Others included typical admin duties. Pay was between $13-$25/hour. Let’s say you worked 10 hours per week making $20/hour as a virtual assistant – you would bring home $200. Easily enough to pay for therapy.

Can You Really Make Counseling In Wake Forest, NC happen for you?

At the end of the day, you will make it happen if it matters to you. Counseling is an investment in you, and you are worth that investment. If you are ready to invest in yourself and the only thing standing in the way is finances, these ideas can help you get where you want to go. We really hope these new tips give you more ideas for how to pay for counseling without insurance.

If you think we might be a good fit for you, reach out today at 919-891-0525 for your free, 15-minute consultation for counseling in Wake Forest NC.

The post Have You Seen the Cost of Counseling in Wake Forest?? appeared first on Tabitha Westbrook.

Am I struggling with something or do I need clarity in a relationship or other area?

Counseling could be really helpful. Running it by someone who is skilled at helping folks figure things out can really help you get the clarity you need or see an issue differently than you may have before.

Have I tried all I know to do and am still coming up short?

Sometimes we just can’t think of all the aspects of something and we need to talk it out. Counseling can really help you do that and help you come up with some new things to try or help you shift your perspective on a situation. Unlike a friend or family member, counselors don’t have a preconceived idea of the issue or of you.

Have I been through something really hard/awful that I’ve never told anyone or that I’ve never really addressed?

There are things we experience or that happen in our lives that are big deals. It could be sexual assault, being abandoned or abused by a parent, being in the military or law enforcement (or any first responder), an abusive relationship/spouse, or a host of other experiences that leave a mark. Sometimes people feel like they’re walking through life broken or like something is “off”. Counseling can help you heal from these hurts and live the life you know is there, but can be hard to find.

Have I had counseling for an issue in the past and that issue is coming back up?

That totally happens sometimes. I see it a lot in clients who have experienced sexual abuse or sexual assault. Dan Allender in his book, Healing the Wounded Heart, talks about it being like layers of the onion that sometimes need to be pulled apart at different times as we grow in our healing. So many people say, “I should be past this by now!” when the reality is it may just be time for the next step in the healing process.

Am I about to get married?

Premarital counseling can be unbelievably helpful. Therapists skilled in this process really help couples look for and address issues that can trip them up later. A good counselor can also help you learn skills that will serve you for decades. The average couple waits until they have been having issues for SIX years before they get help. You can save yourself a lot of heartache by starting off right and getting help along the way as needed.

Is my marriage in trouble?

A good couples/marriage counselor can be incredibly helpful in getting a marriage back on the right track. Even if situations that are really bad like a spouse having an affair occur, if both parties are willing to work on it healing can come. We have seen many marriages recover from incredible struggles and

Are you struggling in parenting your kiddos? 

Children don’t come out of the womb with an owner’s manual, though that would be super cool. There are some hard things parents have to figure out and a good counselor can help you do that. They can help you and your kiddo relate better and help you build stronger relationships. If your kiddo has a disability or challenge, it can be even harder on parent. Counseling can help you cope with the challenges.

Are your friends/family members telling you it might be good to get counseling? 

Sometimes our friends and family see us struggling and they feel powerless to help. They may suggest you see a counselor. If that is something you’ve heard from someone you care for and trust, it may be helpful to take a look at whether counseling could be helpful for you.

We hope this helps you answer the question, “How do I know if I need counseling in Wake Forest?” If you read these and thought, “Well dang, I fit one or more of these” we want to help! Reach out today at 919-891-0525 for your free, 15-minute consultation. We’d love to see you for counseling in our Wake Forest office!

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The answer might just be yes – thankfulness can keep you from needing counseling in Wake Forest!

Did you know that a practice of giving thanks – sometimes called gratitude – can actually help you reduce feelings of anxiety and depression? If you practice gratitude regularly you may find you don’t need counseling in Wake Forest – and if you do need counseling it might not be as long!

The Science

Giving thanks (gratitude), no matter what form it takes, is associated with happiness. Expressing our gratitude also can support long-term relationships. Not only can gratitude boost your mood and strengthen relationships, but it also can improve your physical health. Research shows that practicing gratitude helps improve sleep and increase energy. It also shows that gratitude can be an “natural antidepressant” releasing dopamine and serotonin into the brain, which boosts mood. There is even evidence that maintaining a gratitude journal can reduce pain. Research conducted by HeartMath found that positive thoughts – like gratitude – can actually stop the physiological stress responses. There is even more information on how the practice of giving thanks can positively impact the brain structure, and this article is really great if you want o learn more!

The Practice

Here are some amazing (and easy!) ways to practice giving thanks so you can reap the amazing benefits this practice holds!

1. Gratitude journal – No need to be all fancy here (unless that’s your jam). A simple notebook is sufficient. Take a few minutes each day to write down at least five things for which you are grateful. It can be literally anything, even “I’m grateful I had enough gas in my car to get to work today.” Even on the worst days there are at least five things to be thankful for. If you’re afraid you’ll forget, set an alarm or reminder on your phone.
2. I Appreciate – Tell someone three things you appreciate about them. You can appreciate anything – even the day-to-day stuff that you’re thankful for but never comment on. For example, if your spouse or child takes out the trash you can say, “Thank you so much for taking out the trash. I appreciate it.” I know you might be saying, “But it’s their job to take out the trash. It has to be done anyway.” Yes, that is true, but you are still grateful because it’s done and now you don’t have to worry about it. We practice this one with couples all the time. It is amazing to see how it changes and strengthens relationships to simply be appreciative.
3. Say “thank you” – Most of us are conditioned to do this, at least a bit. But do we thank everyone? Do we actually mean it when we say it? Make it a practice to genuinely thank the cashier at the grocery store, the person helping you at the DMV, and the kids for finally picking up their socks.
4. Pay it forward – When you can, do a random act of kindness. That can be as simple as picking up litter you find or as elaborate as paying for the person’s order behind you in line at Starbucks.
5. Write a note to a friend – You can do this on actual paper or through a text or email. There is a lot of value in actually doing it on paper. It slows your brain down and uses a whole different processing mechanism than an electronic format does. If you mail the note to the friend that can be really powerful and meaningful. How awesome is it to get mail that isn’t a bill or junk?
6. Thankfulness jar – Get a mason jar and some small slips of paper. Starting on Thanksgiving, and then daily thereafter, write down one thing for which you are thankful. Have each family member do it with you. Next Thanksgiving you’ll have 365 reminders of the good things you experienced throughout the year.

The art of giving thanks is one that can have a huge reward for those who practice it – maybe even keeping you from needing counseling in Wake Forest. If you’re feeling stuck and not sure how to even a thankfulness practice started, we would be happy to chat with you about counseling in our Wake Forest office. Reach out today at 919-891-0525 for your free, 15-minute consultation.

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Myth No. 1 – You have to be severely mentally ill, “crazy,” or have a serious problem to go to counseling

Fact: You don’t have to have any of that going on for counseling to be beneficial – and, really, who defines “crazy” anyway? Getting counseling early on can help keep you from having a serious problem or mental illness. We don’t just go to the doctor when stuff is wrong – we get an annual physical every year to make sure we’re all good. Counseling is like good preventive medicine. It helps us sort through the little things so they don’t become big things.

Myth No. 2 – Someone who doesn’t know me can’t help me

Fact: It’s actually really helpful a counselor does not know you. We don’t have any preconceived ideas about you like friends or family. We also are able to help you challenge yourself in a way friends or family can’t or won’t. We also don’t tell you what to do – we help you figure that out and help you develop the strength to do it.

Myth No. 3 – Counselor just sit and nod from their little chair with a scowl on their face.

Fact: The way TV and movies portray counselors is pretty ridiculous. We have comfortable spaces and we talk with you. A counselor who just sits and stares with a blank expression and only the occasional head nod is a made for TV fiction. Counselors should be engaging and talking with you. Good counselors generally do more listening than speaking, but they are not detached and distant.

Myth No. 4 – Counseling will take foreveeeeerrrrr

Fact: Counseling is not designed to be a forever thing. We tell our clients we want to help them meet their goals and live their life, remembering us fondly (or even not remembering us at all!). It does take longer for some folks than others, depending on what’s going on. However, the goal is that you’ll be able to get where you want to go and then weekly counseling won’t be needed anymore.

Myth No. 5 – Once I’ve met my goals I can never see my counselor again

Fact: You can always come back if something comes up or if you just need to check in. You may not need weekly sessions anymore, but you can always get a tune up. I often recommend quarterly tune-up visits to clients – especially couples – to maintain the amazing work they’ve done. And you can always try out different counselors for different seasons of life. Who you saw as a single 20-something may not be the best fit when you’re a 30-something with three kids. (For more info on how to find a counselor, check out our blog here).

We hope this has helped dispel some myths about counseling in Wake Forest NC for you! We want you to find the most amazing counselor and attain those goals you have. If we can be of help in getting you connected to one of our team, reach out today at 919-891-0525 for your free, 15-minute consultation. We’d love to see you in our Wake Forest office!

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Question 6 – Have you ever been to therapy yourself? 

I will tell you right now – the answer to this question should be yes. Every single therapist should go to therapy for him-/herself. If we believe counseling is helpful then we also recognize we sometimes need support. I would be extremely suspect of a therapist who has not been in therapy. How on earth could they understand what it’s like for you to walk through that door and share your struggles if they haven’t done it?

Question 7 – What license(s) and/or certifications do you have? What state(s) are you licensed in?

As shocking as this may sound, not all states require therapists to be licensed. If you want to see someone licensed or your insurance will only pay/reimburse someone licensed you need to know this information. Certifications, while not required, are helpful in understanding any specific areas of expertise for that therapist. Some locations offer therapy at reduced cost through interns. Interns can be wonderful (ours are and our clients LOVE them!), but you will also want to ask how they are supervised and how any issues would be addressed.

Question 8 – Do you take a religious or spiritual approach and, if so, what does that look like?

Some clients really want their religious beliefs and spirituality to be part of a session, while others like to know the therapist understands their faith. Some clients want no spirituality or religious perspective included.

Question 9 – Do you see people only at your office or do you offer video/phone sessions?

Research shows video sessions can be just as helpful as in-person sessions. That said, not all clients prefer that while others love it. The college-age individuals we see love the option of a video session so they can fit therapy into their schedule. Being able to do video or phone sessions are also a great option when it snows in Wake Forest! We know all things close here when that happens, but you don’t have to miss your therapy appointment with us!

Question 10 – What do you charge and do you accept insurance? 

Obviously you’ll need this information to make sure the therapist is a good fit. If you absolutely have to use insurance for therapy then you’ll want to ask if they are in network with your insurance provider. Don’t assume they are – the insurance landscape is pretty complicated and not all therapist take all plans and some take no insurance at all.

Final Thoughts

The last thing to really consider is how you felt talking to the counselor in Wake Forest NC. Did the therapist call you at the time scheduled (if you scheduled one)? Did they seem distracted? Did you feel at ease? Did you feel understood? Did you feel like they answered your questions fully?

All these things can help you find an amazing counselor in Wake Forest that will work for you and we hope we’ve helped you with some questions to ask a potential counselor. If you’d like to find out more about working with us, feel free to reach out at 919-891-0525 to schedule your free, 15-minute consultation. We’d love to see if we are a great fit for you and help you!

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