Therapy isn’t cheap, and the financial aspect can feel like a lot to navigate. Using insurance might seem like the easier path, but it comes with hidden risks and trade-offs that can affect your privacy, autonomy, and even your future career. Here’s my honest take on why I don’t accept insurance and how we can still make private-pay therapy work for you.

1. Protecting Your Privacy and Future Career Goals

If you’re in or working toward a career in law enforcement, firefighting, or the military, your mental health records can matter more than you might realize. Insurance companies require a diagnosis to approve therapy sessions, which means that personal information becomes part of your permanent medical record.

   •   For Current Service Members and First Responders: Stigma around mental health still exists, and a documented diagnosis can bring added scrutiny during promotions or transfers.

   •   For Teens and Young Adults: If you’re hoping to join the military or become a first responder, even resolved mental health treatment can raise flags during recruitment.

With private-pay therapy, your records stay private. There’s no medical paper trail that could impact your future career or personal life.

2. Keeping Control Over Your Treatment

Insurance often limits the type of therapy you can access, how often you can attend, and how quickly you’re expected to improve. These restrictions don’t always fit what you need, especially for deeper work like trauma therapy.

   •   No Arbitrary Limits: Insurance might only approve a few sessions, even if more are needed for meaningful progress.

   •   Freedom to Use the Best Tools for You: With private-pay therapy, we decide together what approach fits—whether it’s EMDR, prolonged exposure therapy, or just space to talk things through at your pace.

Private-pay therapy ensures that your treatment isn’t rushed or dictated by someone outside our therapeutic relationship.

3. Not Everyone Needs a Diagnosis—Or a Label

One of the biggest frustrations with insurance is the requirement to assign a diagnosis, even if the client isn’t experiencing a mental health disorder. Not everyone who seeks therapy needs or wants a label.

   •   Therapy Isn’t Always About Mental Illness: Many people come to therapy to talk through life’s challenges, improve relationships, or get support through tough decisions—not because they have a disorder.

   •   Labels Aren’t for Everyone: A diagnosis can feel limiting or stigmatizing for some people. Therapy should feel like a safe space to explore without worrying about being defined by a diagnosis.

In private-pay therapy, there’s no need to label what you’re going through unless it’s meaningful to you. This creates space for authentic, open conversations about whatever is on your mind—whether that’s relationships, personal growth, or just having a place to be heard.

4. Making Private-Pay Therapy Work for You

I know therapy is an investment, and I do my best to make it as accessible as possible. Here are a few ways to manage the cost without involving insurance:

Sliding Scale Fees

If finances are a concern, I offer sliding scale rates based on your situation to help keep therapy within reach.

Flexible Scheduling

We can adjust the frequency of sessions to fit your budget—whether that means meeting every other week or once a month—without losing momentum in your progress.

Superbills for Reimbursement

If your insurance offers out-of-network benefits, you may be able to get reimbursed for some of the therapy costs. After each session, I’ll provide a superbill—a detailed receipt you can submit to your insurance for reimbursement.

   •   How It Works: Your insurance reviews the superbill and may reimburse a portion of the session costs, depending on your plan’s out-of-network coverage.

   •   Check Your Benefits: It’s a good idea to confirm with your insurance provider what percentage they reimburse for out-of-network care.

   •   Protecting Your Privacy: Although superbills require a diagnosis, using them still keeps your records more private than working with an in-network provider.

5. Real Confidentiality Without the Paper Trail

Insurance companies require detailed documentation to approve therapy, and those notes become part of your medical file. This can impact not just your career but also how other healthcare providers treat you in the future.

With private-pay therapy, what we discuss stays between us. You can explore whatever is on your mind without worrying about how it might affect your personal or professional life.

6. Therapy Without Compromises

Choosing private-pay therapy means no arbitrary limits, no forced diagnoses, and no outside influence on your care. It’s therapy on your terms, with the freedom to heal and grow at your pace, focusing on what truly matters to you.

Wrapping It Up

Therapy isn’t just about solving problems or managing symptoms—it’s about long-term healing, growth, and becoming the person you want to be. When insurance gets involved, it can limit what we do and how we do it. I want you to have the freedom to explore and heal without compromise.

I know therapy is an investment, and I respect the commitment it takes. But the benefits—confidentiality, autonomy, and real progress—are worth it. If you have questions or want to discuss how we can make therapy work for you, let’s talk. We’ll figure it out together—no strings, no judgment, just real healing.

-Adrienne

www.strongselfpsychotherapy.com

Adrienne@strongselfpsychotherapy.com

512-910-4097