How to locate a therapist on your own
Looking for counseling services on your own can sometimes feel overwhelming as some insurance providers make it a bit more complicated than others. The following list will guide you through some different ways to explore options. If you are having any trouble locating providers in-network or if you do not have health insurance and are looking for counseling options, don’t hesitate to reach out to the Student Wellness department for support and assistance (studentwellness@nu.edu).
If you are working and your company offers an Employee Assistance Plan (EAP) this can be a great place to start! If you call the EAP they will do all of the legwork of finding you a provider and the costs will be completely covered (as it will be through the EAP not your health insurance). These are short term therapy options but can get you support quickly as you work on connecting with a therapist with your health insurance.
First, you will want to go to your health insurance providers website and see if it allows you to search for mental health (or behavioral health) providers. If you aren't finding online options easily, there should be a phone number you can call on the back of your insurance card. You can then filter by any preferences you may have (gender, those accepting new patients, etc.). When reviewing the list that is then populated, you can do a few things as Student Wellness doesn’t recommend calling all of the numbers listed, you will end up leaving a lot of voicemails. Here is what you could do with the list:
Note: It is important you ask if someone is “in-network” with your insurance (don’t say "do you accept ____ insurance?" as many therapists will say ‘yes’ but are not in-network so they will simply provide paperwork to bill down deductibles).
You should reach out to a handful of providers initially as some will no longer be in-network or will have a full case load.
Remember, if you are having any trouble locating providers in-network or if you do not have health insurance and are looking for counseling options, don’t hesitate to reach out to the Student Wellness department for support and assistance (studentwellness@nu.edu).
If this is the first time that you will be meeting with a therapist, there is a lot of helpful information about what to expect, look for, etc. here.
If you are working and your company offers an Employee Assistance Plan (EAP) this can be a great place to start! If you call the EAP they will do all of the legwork of finding you a provider and the costs will be completely covered (as it will be through the EAP not your health insurance). These are short term therapy options but can get you support quickly as you work on connecting with a therapist with your health insurance.
First, you will want to go to your health insurance providers website and see if it allows you to search for mental health (or behavioral health) providers. If you aren't finding online options easily, there should be a phone number you can call on the back of your insurance card. You can then filter by any preferences you may have (gender, those accepting new patients, etc.). When reviewing the list that is then populated, you can do a few things as Student Wellness doesn’t recommend calling all of the numbers listed, you will end up leaving a lot of voicemails. Here is what you could do with the list:
1. Note any providers that have the same phone number and address listed, google the phone number, which will then sometimes pull up a mental health organization/group. You can then call that group, inquire about availability, and let them know your insurance information.
2. You can use Psychology Today to google the names of the providers on the list to see who has a profile listed on the website to learn more about them. If you are interested in exploring therapy with them, you can send them an email inquiry via the website.
Note: It is important you ask if someone is “in-network” with your insurance (don’t say "do you accept ____ insurance?" as many therapists will say ‘yes’ but are not in-network so they will simply provide paperwork to bill down deductibles).
You should reach out to a handful of providers initially as some will no longer be in-network or will have a full case load.
Remember, if you are having any trouble locating providers in-network or if you do not have health insurance and are looking for counseling options, don’t hesitate to reach out to the Student Wellness department for support and assistance (studentwellness@nu.edu).
If this is the first time that you will be meeting with a therapist, there is a lot of helpful information about what to expect, look for, etc. here.