Among Friends

[KarenQVC]

@Biftu Has your friend asked for names of private psychiatrists and clinical social workers?  It sounds like she doesn't necessarily need a psychologist.

I am concerned about her going to an agency.  When agencies have waiting lists they tend to limit the number of visits each patient can have.

[JamandBread]

Perhaps she could try one of the plethora of online therapy options available? There is one called Lemonaide with tv commercials in my area.

[NickNack]

@Biftu   Has she looked for therapists or only Psychologists?  I have been in therapy several times and have never seen a Psychologist.  I've seen LCSW (licensed clinical social workers).  They are therapists, and there are some excellent ones.  My niece is getting her PhD right now to become an LCSW.

[Biftu]

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@KarenQVC wrote:

@Biftu Has your friend asked for names of private psychiatrists and clinical social workers?  It sounds like she doesn't necessarily need a psychologist.

I am concerned about her going to an agency.  When agencies have waiting lists they tend to limit the number of visits each patient can have.

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@KarenQVC  Psychiatrists are very expensive and there are none in her network. Seems physchiatrists generally do not accept insurance, at least that is what she has found.  In any event, she may not need that level of care.  I don't think she looked into social workers.  Not sure what you mean by an agency.

[Biftu]

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@NickNack wrote:

@Biftu   Has she looked for therapists or only Psychologists?  I have been in therapy several times and have never seen a Psychologist.  I've seen LCSW (licensed clinical social workers).  They are therapists, and there are some excellent ones.  My niece is getting her PhD right now to become an LCSW.

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@NickNack That's a thought.  I think that she needs to look into other options.  Levels of care can be confusing.  Good for your niece!

[NickNack]

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@Biftu wrote:

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@KarenQVC wrote:

@Biftu Has your friend asked for names of private psychiatrists and clinical social workers?  It sounds like she doesn't necessarily need a psychologist.

I am concerned about her going to an agency.  When agencies have waiting lists they tend to limit the number of visits each patient can have.

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@KarenQVC  Psychiatrists are very expensive and there are none in her network. Seems physchiatrists generally do not accept insurance, at least that is what she has found.  In any event, she may not need that level of care.  I don't think she looked into social workers.  Not sure what you mean by an agency.

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@Biftu   I have seen a psychiatrist.  They mainly prescribe drugs and lots of them.  They will refer you to a therapist (usually not a Psychologist) for therapy.  I will never go to a psychiatrist again.

[VaBelle35]

My experience in this area (long before Covid) is that these are people in private practice with a phone and sometimes an office in a building or in their home.  They do not have "staff." 

Since her message was very simple and she didn't sound like she was in crisis, they did not call her back.  If she was in crisis, and left a troubling message, they would have called her back.

There have been a lot of good suggestions on here.  Maybe try through AARP to find a referral?  Or if her area has a Senior or Aging Agency (mine has one called Agency on Aging and they do everything from advocacy to assistance referrals for everything under the sun).

[RedTop]

@Biftu 

I suspect the issue is that your friend approached this thru direct contact, and these professionals are more used to getting new patients thru a medical referral.

In my local area of WV, the patient starts with their family doctor, and that office sets up an appt.   Some patients need to be seen in the ER, admitted for psych services, and referred that way.  Patients also get referred thru our mental health center.   

I send best wishes to your friend in getting the help she's looking for.  

[CatsyCline]

@Biftu   not sure what type of health insurance your friend has but perhaps she should see a new PCP first and have them provide referrals. It is not unusual to have to wait a number of weeks for a call from a Behavior Health practitioner. In some practices a coordinator sets the initial appt (Intake) In others, the therapist is the initial contact.  (in my state, the term Behavioral Health is used for mental health services).

Its not unusual for licensed independent SW therapists to provide only TeleHealth services, work out of a home office or just share a sometimes barebones office space with a variety of BH professionals who work rotating schedules and ofter share the same desks. Along with talk therapy, there are documentation and treatment plans which require time. Some do their own billing to cut costs.

In addition to some of the other therapists, your friend may consider seeing a Psychiatric Nurse Practioner.  They have a higher level of BH training and can be a good counseling resource .

[Cakers3]

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@Biftu wrote:

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@Cakers3 wrote:

@Biftu   I agree a return call should have happened, even if the therapist could not take on another client.  Even then most therapists can refer to another one.  

It is possible, even though she received these names from her insurance company, that the therapists may actually not be in network anymore. 

It happens.

Her PCP really should help her and the suggestion upthread about senior services is also a good way to turn.

Also these therapists each could have a website and while she shouldn't have to chase, it might indicate what is going on with each one.  Some are not doing in-person sessions right now, or they may indicate that they are not taking new clients.

If she checks her account online with the insurance company, some providers will also be listed as "Established Patients Only".

So while they are in-network their pratice may be filled.

Good luck to your friend; and kudos to you for helping.

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Thanks @Cakers3  you are right.  After finding a couple options on websites that accepted her insurance, come to find out they no longer did.  Providers come in and out of networks and don't update their web page.  Just another hurdle.  Unfortunately the PCP that she was seeing retired and she hasn't been to the practice since he retired though she should call the office.  She left messages to those on her list again today.  We'll see.  She's dealing with a lot and it's just not right that getting help should be this difficult.  Thanks for your kind words.

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@Biftu   You are welcome and I hope somebody will step up to help her soon.