Mental Health FAQs
The following questions are commonly asked about mental health and the services we provide. If you are unable to find an answer to your question, please feel free to contact us and we will do our best to answer your question.
Why do people seek therapy?
What can I expect in a therapy session?
What benefits can I expect from working with a therapist?
What if I don’t know what my goals are for therapy?
Do you accept insurance?
How does insurance work?
Is therapy confidential?
What is the difference between a Psychiatrist, Psychologist and Licensed Clinical Social Worker?
What are the safety concerns regarding medication?
Why do people seek therapy?
People come into therapy for many reasons. Some need to respond to unexpected changes in their lives, while others seek self-exploration and personal growth. When coping skills are overwhelmed by guilt, doubt, anxiety, or despair, therapy can help. Therapy can provide support, problem-solving skills, and enhanced coping for issues such as depression, anxiety, lack of confidence, relationship troubles, unresolved childhood issues, bereavement, spiritual conflicts, stress management, body image issues, and creative blocks. People seeking psychotherapy are willing to take responsibility for their actions, work towards self-change and create greater awareness in their lives.
What can I expect in a therapy session?
During sessions you are expected to talk about the primary concerns and issues in your life. If you’re meeting with a Physician/Psychiatrist or Nurse Practitioner, your first session will last longer than 30 minutes; however, sessions following will be much shorter as you review your medications. A meeting with a therapist (i.e., LCSW, LMFT or PhD) will always be longer than 30 minutes.
The frequency with which you will meet will be determined/based on your situation. Some people who are in crisis or extreme distress need to meet several times a month at least until the crisis passes. During the time between sessions, it is beneficial to think about and process what was discussed. At times, you may be asked to take certain actions outside of the therapy sessions, such as reading a relevant book or keeping records. For therapy to "work," you must be an active participant, both in and outside of the therapy sessions.
What benefits can I expect from working with a therapist?
A number of benefits are available from participating in psychotherapy. Often it is helpful just to know that someone understands. Therapy can provide a fresh perspective on a difficult problem or point you in the direction of a solution. Many people find therapy to be a tremendous asset to managing personal growth, interpersonal relationships, family concerns, and the hassles of daily life. The benefits you obtain from therapy depend on how well you use the process and put into practice what you learn. Some of the benefits available from therapy include:
- Attaining a better understanding of yourself and your personal goals and values
- Developing skills for improving your relationships
- Finding resolution to the issues or concerns that led you to seek therapy
- Find new ways to cope with stress and anxiety
- Managing anger, depression, and other emotional pressures
- Improving communication skills - learn how to listen to others, and have others listen to you
- Getting "unstuck" from unhealthy patterns - breaking old behaviors and develop new ones
- Discovering new ways to solve problems
- Improving your self-esteem and boosting self-confidence
What if I don't know what my goals are for therapy?
If you aren't sure what your goals are for therapy, your first task is to figure that out. It may take several sessions before a direction is clarified. During the course of therapy your goals may change. However, establishing a direction for therapy will help you get the most out of the experience.
Do you accept insurance?
Your co-payments, deductibles, or co-insurance may be different depending on whether your practitioner is a contracted provider for your insurance company. Practitioners, individually, decide whether they will contract with particular insurance companies based upon agreed fees, and timely payment practices by insurance companies. In most cases, your practitioner will, with your permission, file your charges in the office with your insurance company for the insurance company's portion of the payment.
How does insurance work?
There is a confusing array of insurance arrangements. The first thing you should do is check with your insurance carrier. Often the contact information is on your card. Below are some suggested questions you may wish to ask:
Do I have mental health benefits?
What is my deductible and has it been met?
How many sessions per calendar year does my plan cover?
How much do you pay for an out-of-net provider?
Is there a limitation on how much you will pay per session?
Is primary care physician referral required?
Are authorizations required for visits?
If different, what is my mental health deductible?
Is therapy confidential?
In general, the law protects the confidentiality of all communications between a client and a psychotherapist. Information is not disclosed without written permission; however, there are number of exceptions to this rule. Exceptions include:
Suspected child abuse or dependant adult or elder abuse. The therapist is required by law to report this to the appropriate authorities immediately. If a client is threatening serious bodily harm to another person/s. The therapist must notify the police and inform the intended victim.
If a client intends to harm himself or herself:
the therapist will make every effort to enlist their cooperation in insuring their safety. If they do not cooperate, further measures may be taken without their permission in order to ensure their safety.
If a court of law issues a subpoena:
we are required to provide the information required by the subpoena.
If a court of law has ordered you to participate in therapy or to be evaluated by our staff:
the results of the treatment or assessment must be revealed to the court.
If the client were being evaluated for disability compensation by the Bureau of Workers Compensation, an attorney, insurance agency, Social Security or your employer:
we must comply with disclosure.
What is the difference between a Psychiatrist, Psychologist
and Licensed Clinical Social Worker?
Basically all of the above practitioners provide mental health counseling and psychotherapy, the differences lie only in the type and length of training and whether they can prescribe medications.
A Psychiatrist is a Medical Doctor with a minimum of 8 additional years training. Psychiatry deals with prevention, assessment, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of mental illness. They are qualified to order diagnostic laboratory tests and to prescribe medications, evaluate and treat psychological and interpersonal problems.
Clinical Psychologists have graduate and doctorate degrees with special training in mental health assessment and research in addition to psychotherapy. In the state of Indiana, they are not authorized to prescribe medications for treatment.
Clinical Social Workers have obtained a Master of Social Work degree and are licensed in their practicing state. In addition to psychotherapy services, they have special training linking patients to community and institutional resources such as government agencies. They are often seen as a patient advocate as they can help people ‘navigate the system’. LCSWs are not able to prescribe medication for treatment.
What are the safety concerns regarding medication?
Fortunately, we live in a country where laws enforcing the development and distribution of drugs are the strictest in the world. A majority of the cost we pay for prescription medication is due to the amount of testing required to ensure its safety and effectiveness. Our medical practitioners believe in and continually witness the benefits of correct mediation usage. Despite this, there will always be a slight risk for an adverse event and even slighter risk for severe reactions. Because of this, one should not take any medicine for trivial reasons.
We are committed to helping you find solutions. The news media is in the business of selling news. Dramatic and graphic headlines sell news, not thoughtful analysis. The news media may give the impression that treatment with medication is very risky. The media rarely discusses the benefits of treatments. They also never discuss the risks of not treating the disorders. As an example, people with diabetes can die from insulin shock. Refusing to treat diabetes carries serious risks including death. The real question is "Am I likely to be better off if I take medicine or not?" Your provider can discuss the risks/benefits of treatment versus non-treatment with medication.
Your provider will discuss with you whether medication is appropriate for your condition and which ones might work best. Our medical staff will review with you potential side effects and what to do should they arise. The goal is to find a medication that you can tolerate and that helps you return to normal function. Keep in mind that many medications may take up to three weeks before improvement is noticed. No one should ever look or feel "drugged". If an adverse reaction arises, you should call immediately.
We would like to address some of our patients’ concerns regarding potential side effects from medications. Too often, the media will excessively report on a potential medication side effect for example cardiac arrest from certain pain relievers, increase in suicidal/homicidal thoughts from antidepressants, diabetes and liver problems from other medications. While these are valid concerns; the chances of severe side effects from medication use are extremely small and rarely is this aspect reported by the media. Hendricks Therapy medical staff would like to offer some observations and suggestions to our patients and families as to how to respond to these concerns. The only bias we have toward prescribing medications is when a particular medication is more suited for the person and their specific condition. Hendricks Therapy does have medical back up available 24 hours a day by calling 317-745-6160. One can also go to the nearest Emergency Room or call 911.