Terminology

TERMINOLOGY TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND YOUR OPTIONS:

  • These professionals are fully licensed and have completed the necessary education and supervised clinical experience. They are best for individuals seeking experienced and fully qualified counselors for a wide range of issues. They can also be well-suited for those who prefer working with professionals who have completed their licensure requirements.

  • Licensed Graduate Professional Counselors (LGPCs) have completed their master's degree but are in the process of accruing supervised clinical hours for full licensure. They are suitable for individuals who may be comfortable with a counselor who is still in the process of gaining full licensure but has completed the necessary education.

  • Residents are typically individuals who have completed their education and are gaining supervised clinical experience to meet licensure requirements. They are appropriate for those who are open to working with professionals who are in the final stages of their licensure process.

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Note: If you are in-network aka using your insurance: all fees are the same whether you see a LPC or LGPC. If you are out of network (i.e., private pay, paying out of pocket) then there is a slight difference. LPCs will cost more.

  • "Out of network" refers to mental health therapists or providers who do not have a contracted agreement with a particular insurance company. When a therapist is out of network, they do not have a negotiated rate with your insurance company for their services. Further, this means that people will pay a fee determined by the individual therapist, often informed by market value, which is substantially more expensive than "in-network" coverage. However, some insurance plans offer out-of-network benefits.

    Suppose you have out-of-network benefits in your insurance plan. In that case, you may still receive reimbursement for some therapy costs, but typically at a lower rate than if you were using an in-network provider. This reimbursement process often involves paying the therapist's full fee upfront and submitting a claim or "superbill" to your insurance company for partial reimbursement according to your plan's out-of-network benefits.

  • "In-network" refers to mental health therapists or providers with a contractual agreement with a specific insurance company. When therapists are in-network, they have agreed to accept the insurance company's negotiated rate for their services.

    However, using insurance for mental health services comes with considerations. For instance, the insurance company may determine what is medically necessary for treatment while not always covering longer sessions or specialized treatment, including the duration of therapy. They may also periodically review your medical records and require a mental health diagnosis at the initial appointment. At the beginning of each new year, insurance deductibles reset for policyholders, requiring a re-verification process to assess any alterations in insurance coverage.