thenavigator

I work hard at a physically demanding job; I see plenty of physical activity without having to twirl around the living room for 20 minutes when I get home. I already stated I bought exercise equipment, with the clear implication that I am fitting it into my daily routine. I've avoided forums like this in the past because people tend to focus on the negative, pointing out the obvious to the point of beating a dead horse. This was done with my mistake of not confirming my provider's network status. I've already said I won't let it happen again. I've also noticed long-time users tend to be more interested in winning arguments, probably to prove their wisdom and superiority. I've been accused multiple times now of not taking accountability - after pulling myself out of crippling anxiety and depression, returning to the workforce, and moving 600 miles to escape a highly abusive and dysfunctional family. I'm not going to spend most of my time on this forum defending myself, so I'm simply not coming back. Goodbye.

I've been unable to function in the past due to severe panic attacks, so I know what the consequences of neglecting my mental health are. I know I need to build a support network, build my self-esteem, pursue a more fulfilling career path, etc. I'm finally in a place where I feel capable of doing that, at my own pace. I expected therapy to be more than life coaching; I don't want to spend good money and time for that, while also feeling pressured to pursue goals at someone else's pace. I didn't know this person existed until my doctor recommended him. He did so specifically because he thought this therapist was in-network. I accepted because I trusted my doctor. Lesson learned, moving on. I'm still too self-conscious for the gym, but I recently bought some home workout equipment and clothes. I'm considering the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu place nearby. I think some physical contact would help keep me mentally grounded, and martial arts seems more beginner-friendly.

I didn't receive further emails and only saw this late last night. As mentioned, I've had many other problems outside of this. I refinanced my car before moving, and delays have complicated the transfer to my new state, locking me into a far more expensive insurance policy than I need now. The DMV in my former state has earned their reputation and then some. Dealing with them and refinance company has been maddeningly frustrating, riddled with misinformation and lack of communication at every turn. I called the refinance company recently, expecting it to turn nasty, but that just isn't me. As much as I feel the need to vent at someone, I managed to be assertive without getting mean. Still, between that and this therapy debacle, my trust has absolutely been shaken in other people's competence and their commitment to my well-being, even when paid to look after my best interests. I'd rather be pleasantly surprised and grateful when other people do their jobs well, instead of being consistently disappointed by stupidity and apathy. It still boils down to what other people are saying: Double-check everything and advocate for myself. I called my insurance earlier and confirmed that as far as they can see, this therapist has never been in-network. I'll call back and see if I can challenge that status based on what my providers stated. I messaged my PCP and the billing department over the weekend, but haven't heard anything. I'd like to think they're in dialogue with my insurance and I'll hear back soon. If they never respond, expecting me to just shut up and pay the bill, I won't respect them for it regardless of who's at fault. This has generated enough ill will that I expect to be looking for a new PCP no matter the outcome. One other reason to not pursue therapy further is that I haven't had enough time to myself. I've had too many errands and chores following the move. We've even been fighting with the leasing company and property manager because multiple appliances were broken upon move-in, and they tried to push responsibility on us or each other. I was doing laundry in the bathtub for the first month and a half after I arrived. I need a vacation, but I only recently started accumulating PTO and don't have nearly enough. My free time is precious to me, and I just don't want any extra obligations on my days off.

Thank you, guys. I think I should be focusing more on spontaneous discussions like this (online and in person), rather than penting things up for a week or two, then risk no longer being in the mood to talk to the person I'm paying to listen. It's being reinforced in other areas of my life that I can't trust other people to give me accurate information or advocate for me. In an ideal world, maybe. These are still highly educated, well-paid professionals who should know what they're talking about. My PCP didn't just refer me to this therapist - they work in the same building! I wanted to meet with him one last time to see if we could get back on track, and run through the subjects most important to me while I still had the chance. However, I was already expecting to wrap things up, and this confirmed it. I'll try to relax knowing that they can and should be expecting pushback on the bills.

I came here because I figure members of this forum are more likely to have experience with therapy. This is partly a finance question, but also I'm just angry and anxious over some absurd bills. I recently moved away from abusive family, back to an area I lived in previously. I saw my former PCP to get reestablished on my medications. I told him I intended to seek therapy, so he referred me to an in-house social worker, telling me this person was in-network. The first session went well, with the therapist saying some genuinely kind and encouraging things. He told me it would be treated as an intake, which is billed higher, but that further sessions would cost significantly less. Sessions were to be two weeks apart and capped at 12, at which point he would refer me elsewhere if needed. The second session was a waste. I had spent the time between brooding about all of the things I wanted to get off my chest, while also being stressed by a packed work schedule and the many chores I had to take care of after moving. By the time our second meeting rolled around, just showing up felt like another chore, and I was not in the headspace to articulate all of the things I wanted to say. The therapist badly misread and misjudged me, claiming I had "given up." He also insisted during out initial meeting that we should focus on the future, not the past. On some level I agree with this, but I have a ton of bad history, recent and otherwise. I feel (or at least felt) that it's important to process some of this, and that a proper psychologist would appreciate that. Thankfully, our third session was canceled because my therapist was unexpectedly out of the office. I say thankfully because when I checked the web portal later, it showed I owe $531 for the first session, with another $448 still pending. I was told $350 for the intake and expected $100 for each session thereafter. Instead, I'm looking at $979 for two hours, one of which wasn't particularly helpful. All of this from a social worker (LCSW), not even a fully trained psychologist. I chose a medical plan specifically with mental healthcare in mind. Initially, it looked like my insurance covered a portion of the first session, but now it shows no coverage and states this individual is out-of-network. (Again, my PCP explicitly stated he was in-network.) On top of these insane bills, I've been paying a higher premium on my medical insurance for nothing. I'm trying not to be cynical and think to myself, "this is what I get for trying to reach out and seek help." I do feel my providers lied to or otherwise misled me. I can't message the therapist and don't want to risk getting nasty over the phone, but I've messaged the billing department and my PCP to give them a chance to make this right. I have enough other problems, and I'm paralyzed with worry now. If they don't reduce the amount owed, how likely is it to impact my credit if I refuse payment? Are these bills at all reasonable, with or without insurance?