Living a fulfilling, healthy life encompasses many different spheres of wellness. From social to emotional to physical, holistic wellness touches every angle of your life. For many people, the journey to achieving a mentally well existence begins with getting help from a licensed behavioral health professional. Too often, however, finding the right therapist or healthcare provider can feel like an insurmountable challenge.
Today, we’re going to take a look at some tips and tricks to help simplify the process of finding a therapist in Maryland. You are already engaging in the first step toward success by educating yourself and learning more about available behavioral health providers. Great work! Now, keep on reading to discover everything you need to find a talented healthcare practitioner who can help you on your road to leading a more rewarding, happy, healthy life.
I want to work on my mental health… Where do I start?
If you’re ready to embark on a journey toward a more mentally healthy life, you are in the right place. Working with a Howard County behavioral health provider can offer you support, guidance, and an expert perspective as you work toward achieving your goals. As you begin looking for the right provider for you, we suggest considering a few different questions.
#1: What are your goals?
There are many reasons to consider working with a behavioral health professional. Maybe you are looking for someone to help you explore the benefits of psychotherapy. Maybe you are looking for medication management services to reduce the symptoms of anxiety, depression, or another mood disorder. Maybe you are looking to develop an individualized treatment plan to make living with an attention deficit disorder, like ADD or ADHD, easier.
Whatever your goals, identifying them will make it easier to determine what kind of help you need. Plus, you can then look for a behavioral health provider who specializes in the area in which you need support. For example, if you are seeking support with PTSD, you might decide to look for a practitioner who specializes in PTSD and has experience working with Veterans.
#2: What can you afford?
When you start looking into support for your mental and behavioral health, you don’t want to add stress to your plate by choosing an option that breaks the bank. We recommend assessing your financial resources to gain a better understanding of what you can afford to spend on behavioral health care treatments. If you have medical insurance, we suggest starting by digging deeper into what your insurance plan will and will not cover.
If you have insurance…
For individuals who do have medical, part or all of your mental health care will most likely be covered by your insurance provider. Many insurance providers have lists of covered therapists in Baltimore County and other locations that you can choose from. If you are still not sure after looking online, many behavioral health providers will also list which insurance providers they accept on their websites.
Is therapy covered by insurance? Looking at your insurance provider’s website as well as the websites of the therapists you are considering is a good place to start. It’s also important to review your benefits to find out if you will be responsible for a co-pay for each session with a behavioral health provider. If you have a high-deductible plan, your co-pay may initially be higher until you meet your deductible, at which point it will decrease or disappear.
Wondering if we accept your insurance here at Triumph Behavioral Health? Check out our insurance page here to see accepted providers and other insurance FAQs.
If you do not have insurance…
If you do not have health insurance, you may still have options to receive high-quality mental and behavioral health care. Many areas offer low- and no-cost therapy programs for those who meet certain socioeconomic requirements. There are also federally-funded programs that aim to make mental health care accessible for everyone – search your local programs here.
If you are employed, it can also be worth asking if your workplace offers an EAP, or “Employee Assistance Program.” EAPs are typically shorter-term arrangements, usually five or six sessions, and are meant to target issues that could be affecting your performance at work. Of course, this is a broad category, and mental health concerns are typically covered.
For those individuals who do not currently have health insurance, it may be worth applying for Medicaid coverage. Medicaid is available for people with limited income and/or resources, and many people are eligible who might not even realize their eligibility. The process of enrolling in Medicaid coverage differs on a state-by-state basis, but to do so in Maryland, you can start here at Maryland Health Connection.
#3: Who are you compatible with?
One of the most important considerations as you look for a behavioral health provider is your compatibility with that person. You want to choose someone you feel comfortable talking to, sharing potentially sensitive information with, and communicating honestly. When it comes to receiving the best mental health care, honesty is paramount.
By using directory-style sites like Psychology Today, you can explore local providers and search by many different criteria, including specialties, location, types of treatment, and more. You can also ensure that a provider is friendly, inclusive, and will meet all of your needs. Choosing a provider that you are open to building trust with is the first step toward success when it comes to meeting your behavioral health goals.
Meet Maryland’s Best Mental Health Providers
Here at Triumph Behavioral Health, we are committed to fostering an inclusive, welcoming, and empathetic environment for all of our clients. Taking the first step toward mental wellness can be scary, but here at Triumph, we will listen to you, support you, and ensure that you feel seen and heard. We’re here to help every step of the way – and at Triumph, we care.
Get in touch with us today to meet our team and find the right provider for you!