Insurance

Depending on your insurance plan, it may cover the cost of paying for a therapist, so you will want to check there first.  In many cases, the cost is only covered if you go to an in-network therapist.  Depending on the network, that may include some Christian therapists, if that is what you prefer.

If you want a Christian therapist and there are none in-network on your insurance, you may want to find one on your own (request recommendations from NCC here).  While a therapist may not be a participating provider in your insurance plan, many PPO plans will provide partial or full reimbursement for services provided by a licensed Professional Counselor or licensed Social Worker. You will need to call your insurance company with a provider's information and ask if you will receive reimbursement for his/her services. Then ask the therapist if they are willing to provide a receipt (including diagnostic and treatment code information) for you to submit to your insurance company.

Other Work Benefits (EAP, HRA, HSA, FSA)

If you have an Employee Assistance Plan (EAP) through your employer, you (and your family) can likely receive confidential therapy through that.  If your company offers a Health Reimbursement Account (HRA), you might be able to apply that to mental health services.  In addition, a Health Savings Account (HSA) or a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) can help you pay for therapy using pre-tax income.

Low-Cost or Sliding Scale Therapy

If you don't have insurance or other work benefits to cover the cost of therapy and it is financially difficult for you to afford a therapist, there are a couple options.  If you would like to see a Christian therapist:

• The Centrepointe Counseling Network offers reduced rates through their Samaritan Fund.  Apply here.
• The McClerren Group Institute offers low-cost mental health counseling from clinical interns.  Apply here.

If you don't mind going to a non-Christian therapist, low-cost or sliding-scale counseling is available through George Washington University, where their PsyD and PhD students in Clinical Psychology, and Masters in Counseling students provide counseling under supervision:

• The Meltzer Clinic
• The Center Clinic
• Community Counseling Services Center

In addition, Unity Health Care offers free clinics throughout DC for medical and mental health.

Out-of-Pocket

If none of the above options works for you, you'll likely have to pay out-of-pocket to see a Christian therapist.  If doing so is difficult, you could also explore the option of group therapy or online therapy options (like Talkspace) which tend to cost less.

Psychiatrists: A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who specializes in mental disorders and is licensed to practice medicine. Psychiatrists can evaluate and diagnose a variety of mental disorders, carry out biomedical treatments and psychotherapy, and work with psychological problems associated with medical disorders.

Psychologists: Psychologists assess, diagnose, and treat the psychological problems and the behavioral dysfunctions resulting from, or related to physical and mental health. In addition, they play a major role in the promotion of healthy behavior, preventing diseases and improving patients' quality of life.

Clinical Social Workers: Clinical social work is a specialty practice area of social work which focuses on the assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental illness, emotional, and other behavioral disturbances. Individual, group and family therapy are common treatment modalities.

Marriage and Family Therapists: Marriage and Family Therapists are state licensed as counselors to provide psychotherapy and counseling for families, couples, groups, and individuals. Therapists with other licenses may also be qualified to conduct marriage and family therapy.

Professional Counselors: Professional counselors provide mental health service to clients through identifying goals and potential solutions to problems which cause emotional turmoil; seek to improve communication and coping skills; strengthen self-esteem; and promote behavior change and optimal mental health.They may be trained in a variety of therapeutic techniques and approaches.

Psychiatric Nurses: Psychiatric nursing is a specialized area of professional nursing practice that is concerned with prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of mental-health-related problems. Psychiatric nurses are expert at evaluating complex psychiatric, substance abuse and physical health needs and problems of patients over the life span. They assess and treat psychosocial consequences of physical illness as well. 

There are many different types of therapy.  The following list may help you determine what type of therapy is best for you. 

Behavioral Therapy: This approach focuses on changing unwanted behaviors through rewards, reinforcements, and desensitization. Desensitization is a process of confronting something that arouses anxiety, discomfort, or fear and overcoming the unwanted responses. It functions on the idea that all behaviors are learned and that unhealthy behaviors can be changed.

Cognitive Therapy: This method aims to identify and correct distorted thinking patterns that can lead to feelings and behaviors that may be troublesome, self-defeating, or even self-destructive. The goal is to replace such thinking with a more balanced view that, in turn, leads to more fulfilling and productive behavior. Cognitive therapy focuses on present thinking, behavior, and communication rather than on past experiences and is oriented toward problem solving.

Cognitive-Behavioral: A combination of cognitive and behavioral therapies, this approach helps people change negative thought patterns, beliefs, and behaviors so they can manage symptoms and enjoy more productive, less stressful lives.

Couples Counseling: Couples counseling is designed to help couples understand and resolve problems, dissatisfaction, and conflict in their relationship. Such therapy can help couples improve their understanding of, and the way they respond to, one another.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy: Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) provides clients with new skills to manage painful emotions and decrease conflict in relationships. DBT specifically focuses on providing therapeutic skills in four key areas; mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. 

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy: EMDR is a unique, nontraditional form of psychotherapy designed to diminish negative feelings associated with memories of traumatic events. Unlike most forms of talk therapy, EMDR focuses less on the traumatic event itself and more on the disturbing emotions and symptoms that result from the event. Treatment includes a hand motion technique used by the therapist to guide the client’s eye movements from side to side, similar to watching a pendulum swing. 

Family Therapy: Family therapy or family counseling is a form of treatment that is designed to address specific issues affecting the health and functioning of a family. It can be used to help a family through a difficult period, a major transition, or mental or behavioral health problems in family members. Family therapy may be very useful with children and adolescents who are experiencing problems.

Group Therapy: This form of therapy involves groups of usually 4 to 12 people who have similar problems and who meet regularly with a therapist. The therapist uses the emotional interactions of the group's members to help them get relief from distress and possibly modify their behavior.

Interpersonal Psychotherapy: Through one-on-one conversations, this approach focuses on the patient's current life and relationships within the family, social, and work environments. The goal is to identify and resolve problems with insight, as well as build on strengths.

Light Therapy: Light therapy is a way to treat seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and certain other conditions by exposure to artificial light. SAD is a type of depression that occurs at a certain time each year, usually in the fall or winter.During light therapy, you sit or work near a device called a light therapy box. The box gives off bright light that mimics natural outdoor light. Light therapy is thought to affect brain chemicals linked to mood and sleep, easing SAD symptoms. Using a light therapy box may also help with other types of depression, sleep disorders and other conditions.

Play Therapy: Geared toward young children, this technique uses a variety of activities - such as painting, puppets, and dioramas - to establish communication with the therapist and resolve problems. Play allows the child to express emotions and problems that would be too difficult to discuss with another person.

Psychoanalysis: Psychoanalytic therapy is a form of in-depth talk therapy that aims to bring unconscious or deeply buried thoughts and feelings to the conscious mind so that repressed experiences and emotions, often from childhood, can be brought to the surface and examined. In this long-term and intensive therapy, an individual meets with a psychoanalyst three to five times a week, using "free association" to explore unconscious motivations and earlier, unproductive patterns of resolving issues. 

Psychodynamic Psychotherapy: Based on the principles of psychoanalysis, this therapy is less intense, tends to occur once or twice a week, and spans a shorter time. It is based on the premise that human behavior is determined by one's past experiences, genetic factors, and current situation. This approach recognizes the significant influence that emotions and unconscious motivation can have on human behavior.

NCC offers recommendations of specific individual Christian therapists which you can request through this form. In addition, we recommend the following Christian counseling networks (please note: we have not vetted their therapists individually).

• CentrePointe Counseling: A Samaritan Center – Locations throughout Maryland
• Life Christian Counseling Network – Locations around DC Metro area
• New Life Christian Counseling Network – Nationwide – referrals by phone
• Safe Harbor Christian Counseling – Locations around DC Metro area

Sometimes it is necessary to visit several therapists in order to decide which would be the best one for you.  The following questions may help you in making that determination.

Questions to Ask Therapist During Consultation

• What makes you qualified to treat my problem?
• Do you specialize in my problem?
• What makes you a specialist?
• Have you helped many people like me?
• What is the typical outcome of those cases?
• What type of treatment styles will you use?
• Can you explain those treatment styles to me?
• How will I know therapy is working?
• Will I feel worse before I feel better?
• Does your work in therapy tend to be more focused on the past or the present?
• Do you tend to see people for long-term therapy or for shorter-term therapy?
• How active are you in the therapy? Do you expect me to primarily lead or do you guide me?
• Have you experienced my issue in your personal life?
• How long have you been practicing?
• What is your availability? 
• What is the cost per session and how long is each session?
• Do you accept my insurance?
• Do I deal with my insurance or do you?
• What’s your cancelation policy?
   

Questions to Ask Yourself After Consultation

• Do I feel emotionally and physically safe? 
• Does it seem like I could trust this person?
• Do I think they ask good questions?
• Do they seem knowledgeable and competent?
• Are they setting the right tone?
• Do I feel distracted and not engaged?
• Do I want to stay and talk or am I counting down the minutes until I can leave?
• Do I feel heard and understood?
• Do I like the questions that are being asked of me?
• Does the therapist seem empathetic to my situation?