Terminating your therapy treatment after months or years of work, progress, and building a therapeutic relationship can be hard. It can feel like a breakup or a betrayal or the end of a chapter in your life. Your therapist may feel this way too. Termination is a necessary part of helping you learn how to rely on yourself and your new skills, but it still doesn’t make it easy.
There is often a desire to check in with a client after terminating therapy, but it’s not something we can ethically do, unfortunately. Therapists love hearing from an old client that they are doing well or they’ve reached a major milestone in their life. We just can’t reach out to ask ourselves. Don’t think this is because we aren’t interested. Your therapist is always rooting for you. Long after you end treatment, your therapist may think about you and wonder if you did that thing you were working so hard to reach. Therapists care long after treatment ends.
There’s often times some key thoughts therapists wish they could share with old clients. So it may be helpful to know what your therapist couldn’t reach out and say…
We are rooting for your growth and peace.
Just because it was time to end formal treatment, doesn’t mean the progress or growth stops. As you end therapy, you may find that the hard work is just beginning. Instead of waiting for that weekly session to share about your ups and downs, you may be spending time on your own writing about your week or making time to share with loved ones. You will continue discovering things about yourself and learning about you. It may just be a more unconscious growth, and that’s okay.
We hope you are staying well and prioritizing your needs and desires.
Don’t forget to continue checking in with yourself. Asking yourself how you are doing, and what your needs are. Recognizing new goals or changes in your values. We know life happens and you may even feel inclined to reach out to re-start treatment, but you got this. Life will throw you curve balls, and you will hit them out the park. You will always be growing, and we know you have the tools needed to meet any bump in the road with grace.
We valued you sharing your story with us, and are wishing you well.
Your therapist holds so much gratitude for your openness and willingness to pursue wellness in your life. We hold your story dear and think of you when we are helping new individuals on their journey. You helped your therapist grow and learn and become a better clinician. Not only was your story shaped by the time you shared, but your therapist’s story was also influenced as you both traveled this path to growth. Thank you.
You may have shared tears, laughter, or truth with your therapist, and they will always be grateful for that time. You are deserving of continued growth and joy in your life. You are thought of and cared for long after that last session. You are always welcome in our office.
Therapy is a process that is well worth the wait when you get to the end. As more people start and end their therapy journey, it became apparent that having a space to track that progress and set goals can be a vital part of the healing journey. That is why the Healing Journal was created.
Habit Tracker
Critical questions are asked when you start attending therapy and often times it is hard to answer them. Questions like, “Are you getting enough sleep?”, “Are you eating food that fuels you?”, “Are you incorporating movement into your weekly routine?”, amongst others. These three key aspects of your healing journey can often times be overlooked when focusing on your mental health. That’s why it was so important to incorporate these vital trackers into the Healing Journal. Being able to track your sleep, eating habits, exercise, mindfulness, and more puts you in a better space to capitalize on your time in therapy. You have data and a clear picture of how these aspects of your health are impacting your mental state.
Treatment Plan
Once you have a clear picture of the foundational aspects of your wellness, it is time to move onto your goals and the plan to reach them. A treatment plan is the core of a therapist’s work because it guides the therapy process and keeps everyone on track to the finish line. One of the crucial questions to establish a treatment plan, “What will be different about your life when therapy is done?” What is the ultimate goal you are trying to reach? Is it reasonable? Is it something you have control over? What are the steps YOU are willing to take to get to that goal? Therapy can take 3-12 months to see growth, and it is hard to keep track of your long term goals without a written record of what it was you came in to work on in the first place. Using the treatment plan in the Healing Journal helps keep you on track.
Calendar Spread
90 days can sound like a short amount of time or a long time depending on what goal you are trying to reach. When making note of daily gratitude, highs and lows of the week, important questions your therapist gave you to ponder, to do lists, and so much more you need space to stay organized. Having a monthly calendar to mark important dates, upcoming appointments, and more can help with that organizational piece. Plus you’ll be able to follow up that monthly plan with daily spreads that track the little day-to-day accomplishments.
Incorporating these three tools into your bullet journal can be a major upgrade as you navigate the therapy process. Tracking your self care, planning out your goals, and ultimately noting the progress along the way are the steps to maximizing your healing journey. If you want a head start on these items check out the Healing Journal on Amazon! If you are a California resident and interested in starting therapy, book a free consultation here!
You’d be surprised how often I hear, “You’re the only therapist that called me back,”. Therapist’s voicemails are often full of appointment requests. It’s a common complaint amongst therapy seekers that therapists just are not responsive to calls or emails. There’s a very common reason for this…we’re busy.
Therapists in private practice are often a single person running an entire business. Unlike typical doctor’s offices, there are no assistants or admins manning the phones and sitting at a front desk. A lot of therapists don’t even have an office (outside of their desk in their home). So they are single-handedly responsible for answering phones, responding to emails, seeing clients, writing notes for sessions, scheduling appointments, building a website, managing their billing/insurance calls, and ultimately keeping their business afloat. Plus, we didn’t even mention the possibility of a crisis arising. So voicemails and emails often get pushed to the end of the to do list for many therapists.
We truly give undivided attention
When working with clients one-on-one for an hour at a time, clients expect our undivided attention. Your therapist wouldn’t answer a phone call during your session, and they won’t answer your call during someone else’s session. They also aren’t answering calls, while writing clinical notes or attending to personal needs between sessions. Many therapists also have untypical “business hours”, so calling at 9am may actually be outside of their scheduled work day. Most therapists see 4-8 clients a day. That’s 4-8 hours out of the day that they will not be answering phone calls or writing emails. They are also most likely not going to respond outside of work hours because that is their personal time.
We aren’t always available 24/7
So you might be thinking, “Shouldn’t my therapist always be available to me if I need them?”. The answer…yes & no. Your therapist will most likely inform you when you begin treatment if they are available for calls in between sessions. Keep in mind that a private practice is the lowest level of care. There are higher levels of care, such as intensive outpatient programs, that provide more frequent, on-call, services. You may be familiar with a medical provider’s voicemail message saying, “Please hang up and call 9-1-1 if this is an emergency or reach out to the crisis hotline at 1-800-273-8255 if you are in crisis.”. This message is there to remind clients that their therapist is NOT who they should be calling in an emergency. Just like a physical emergency, you should head to the ER, not call your PCP. You should do the same if you are in a mental health crisis…seek out immediate care from a 24/7 crisis line or emergency room. If you don’t need immediate care, then you probably aren’t in a severe crisis. You should still go ahead and schedule a time to meet with your therapist in the next week or so. A good coping skill while waiting for an appointment is to reach out to a close confidant. This can help you cope with current emotions until you are able to meet with your therapist. [Side note: If you want to know a little more about various levels of mental health care, check out this blog.]
We try to make scheduling simple
So what’s the solution? Many therapists have tried to mitigate this inconvenience by using technology to attend to scheduling needs. Being able to schedule appointments online means you don’t actually have to speak with anyone to find an appointment that fits both your own and the therapist’s schedule. This makes scheduling super simple and takes the phone tag out of the dynamic. You may also reach out to a larger group practice when seeking treatment. These larger practices may have an administrative assistant available during typical business hours to attend to client’s scheduling needs.
We have policies & procedures for a reason
Please don’t be the person that ignores the procedures for scheduling and calls anyway. This will just lead to more unanswered voicemails. If an appointment isn’t available, it is most likely because a) the therapist is seeing another client at that time, b) the therapist is not scheduled to work at that time, or c) the therapist has already made personal plans and is no longer available on such short notice. Reaching out this way may just lead to a longer delay before your next session. [We aren’t returning from vacation early just because you called.]
We will get back to you…eventually
So, to recap…always plan to schedule your appointment at least a week in advance. This gives the therapist time to get back to your email/call with knowledge of their upcoming openings and during a time they are actually free to speak to you about your needs. Also, read any instructions that may be available about scheduling on a therapist’s website. They often inform you if they are accepting clients, the best way to contact them, or whether to give them a certain amount of time to respond (amongst other helpful information). Another pointer, try to schedule your next appointment at the end of your current session. This secures your spot on the therapist’s calendar and gives you time to save it on yours.
Here at Simplee Therapy, all appointments (for new or current clients), must be scheduled at least 3 days in advance. This allows for therapists to properly prepare for each session. Same day and next day appointments are not available. You can always reach the Crisis Hotline at 1-800-273-8255 or Text “HOME” to 741741. Remember, if you are in an emergency situation dial 9-1-1 or head straight to your nearest emergency room.
There are a lot of people seeking mental health support right now, and a very limited number of therapists. Therapists want to be available and provide supportive care for your mental health needs. Please have patience when reaching out. If you are looking for a new therapist, check out these resources to find a good fit for your unique needs.
One of the the biggest deterrents from attending therapy is the expense of it. The cost of therapy doesn’t have to be a barrier to care though. There are multiple ways to pay for therapy and get adequate care without breaking the bank.
Utilizing your insurance is one of the most common ways to pay for therapy. In California, it is reported that approximately 58% of therapists accept insurance in some form. Your medical insurance provider should be able to give you a list of therapists in your area that accept your insurance, what the copay may be (or if you will be reimbursed), and if there are any restrictions on services (i.e. a diagnosis is needed, limit on amount of sessions, etc.). If you have a HSA or FSA account attached to your insurance, this could be a way to put money away to cover the cost of therapy as well.
As of January 1st, 2022, if you are interested in working with an “Out-of-Network” provider, they should also provide you with a “Good Faith Estimate” of services. Learn a little more about GFEs here.
EAP Services
Looking into additional mental health coverage through an employer is another great way to access mental health treatment. Some employers will provide additional EAP services that cover counseling. While others may provide wellness treatment reimbursement, meaning they will reimburse you for certain wellness related services you paid for out-of-pocket. Check in with your human resources department to see if they have additional services you can tap into.
Private Pay
Now as noted above, about 58% of therapists in California accept insurance, which means about 42% do not. This is common due to the fact that not long ago health insurance did not cover the cost of behavioral health services. This often is a preferred method for covering the cost of therapy amongst consumers for various reasons. One being the paper trail of their diagnosis that is left behind when they are treated through an insurance provider. One may not want a diagnosis attached to their medical record. In other cases, many people attend therapy to prevent reaching a point of having a clinically diagnos-able disorder. Preventative therapy treatment is often times not covered by insurance providers.
On the therapist’s end, it is also very likely that an insurance provider would reimburse a therapist at a much lower rate than their out-of-pocket fee. This often is a barrier for therapists paneling with an insurance carrier, while also trying to make a living.
Sliding Scale Services
Sliding scale services are often times a way therapists make services more accessible. A therapist may offer a lower fee per session for a certain amount of time in order to provide services to clients that have financial barriers to accessing therapy. If you currently work with a therapist and are experiencing financial hardship, a therapist will often implement a sliding scale rate so your therapy treatment is not interrupted. Associate therapists often also provide sliding scale services because they are still in training to become a licensed provider. Therapy directories like Open Path Collective also provide a list of providers who offer sliding scale services.
Community Based Agencies
Due to the type of work therapists do, there is an abundance of non-profits and community based agencies that provide mental health services to various degrees. Often times these agencies partner with local schools, universities, or county governments to provide specific types of services to the community. Services range from school-based services for students to agencies focused on specific types of diagnoses. These agencies do amazing work supporting local communities and making mental health treatment more accessible.
Ideally, the cost of therapy would not be a barrier to treatment. When considering whether to seek out therapy services consider the benefits that you are getting from that experience. The improvement in your overall health & wellness is hard to put a price on. Making some adjustments to your budget temporarily to gain the tools and peace of mind needed to show up in your life as your best self may just be worth it.
If you are hoping to start therapy services and are a California resident feel free to schedule a free consultation here.
Purchase the Healing Journal
A 90-day journal made to assist throughout your therapy process. Document your goals, growth, and successes on your healing journey!
Private practice isn’t a “reward” for years of struggling. Being an associate in private practice is an attainable goal for new therapists. So why don’t we learn more about this career path in grad school?
We’ve all heard a fellow therapist say, “They didn’t teach us this in grad school!” And it’s true. Graduate programs for MFTs (or any clinical license) focus on making you a good therapist, NOT a good business owner. Why don’t they throw this in? Because running your own practice isn’t for everyone, and when you look around at fellow cohort mates only a few will end up being successful business owners.
If you are a “baby therapist” just learning the skills needed to be effective in the therapy room, it may feel intimidating to think about being completely solo in a private practice setting. This is a valid concern, which is why it is so important to get into that space while you still have the luxuries of supervision and mentorship. Finding your purpose for being in this mental health setting will be core to your work and business. Being an associate in private practice means being able to learn from a seasoned therapist, gain more experience working with aligned clients, and build your brand from day one.
Networking
Getting to know colleagues and peers may seem like an obvious skill needed to be successful in a business, but it is even more important for new therapists. Networking won’t just get you your first clients, but it will get you your first job. There is no private practice as an associate (at least in California) without a supervisor who is willing to hire and train you. Networking prior to the transcript being finalized or the associate number coming in the mail means more likelihood of hitting the ground running when you are able to start seeing that first client.
Business Finances
A huge part of a successful business is actually keeping your finances “in the black”. Associates in private practice often have little control over the cash flow they experience, but once you get that certificate of licensure that may change quickly. Setting yourself up with a plan to make ends meet, as well as a plan to save for that initial transition can make the process of becoming a successful business owner that much easier.
Time Management
When deciding to go into private practice as an associate, you have to consider the time commitment you are making. Collecting hours towards licensure is often the only thing on a new associate’s mind, but being in private practice can make this process quicker or much longer depending on your time management skills. Learning how to set up a schedule that fosters growth and supports your goals, as well as having an employer who supports your goals is critical.
Marketing
You learn ZERO helpful things about marketing in grad school, but if you know anything about running a business, you know that marketing is at the center of bringing in paying customers. As a therapist marketing looks a little different from the traditional business model, so having support with learning which marketing strategy is going to produce a steady stream of referrals for your business is essential.
If you are still pumped about starting your own practice and know you have what it takes to be a successful CEO, take the leap. Get started today to find the key components of your journey to private practitioner. All of these points are highlighted and taught in depth in the “Associates in Private Practice” course being held this summer. Sign up below to get a head start on the skills you need to make a dream a reality!
Associates in Private Practice
This group cohort class teaches the fundamentals of getting a head start on your ideal practice, while still collecting hours as an associate therapist. Sign up now!
