3 Tips for Finding a Therapist in the Simi Valley Area

Estimated read time: 7-10 minutes

You’re wanting to understand tips for finding a therapist in the Simi Valley area. Living out in Simi Valley, you have a few neighboring cities such as Northridge, Moorpark, and Thousand Oaks. There are many options when it comes to finding a proper therapist and support system for you. But, you don’t know where to begin.

Lately, you realize that you would benefit from additional help. Maybe your depression has gotten hard lately, and you notice your fatigue taking over. Your anxiety has taken over and you’re struggling with overthinking. Maybe your child or teen is struggling with their emotions, and needs support in coping. 

The thought of seeking out help can be intimidating, maybe even overwhelming at times. We wrote this blog to provide you with tips in finding a therapist! We know how nice it is to stay near home in Simi Valley but even in such a relatively small area there are so many options.

There are a few important parts in finding a therapist. When you are on the phone holding consultations, make sure to utilize these tips.

man representing a man seeking anxiety and depression therapy from his computer in the comfort of his home in Simi Valley

First, you’ll want to consider what setting the therapy should be in. Are you seeking in-person, where you can go into their office space? Or would online therapy best suit you, and your busy schedule? Second, understand your insurance benefits. Do you have HMO insurance, or PPO insurance? If no insurance is accepted, what is your weekly budget? What is the average session fee in Simi Valley these days? Finally, hold consultations to see if you click with the therapist!

Seeking out therapy in Simi Valley doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Utilize these 3 tips to make your search for the perfect therapist stress free!

3 Tips for Finding a Therapist in the Simi Valley Area: Consider if you want in-person or online therapy

couple joining online couples counseling in Simi Valley, ca from the comfort of their apartment

If you are reading this blog you are likely considering in person therapy in Simi Valley but it is also nice to know that online therapy is an option. The value of having an online therapy option in Simi is that you may be able to switch it if you need it to be virtual for a given week but mostly want it to be in person and vice versa.

What does your average schedule look like? Let’s look on a weekly basis. Do you have a consistent schedule, whether it be in school or work? If you can anticipate your availability, or non-availability, that’s what you have to work with. If you are a college student, or work from home, or own your own business, you would probably have more flexibility. 

It’s important to know how flexible your schedule can be. If you want to do in-person, consider the commute time to the therapy office. Is it local, or a few cities over? Do you need to set aside time to get your children or teen in the car to go to the office? If you are constricted on time, online counseling would be a great option. If you can be flexible, you know you can make in-person counseling work. 

Also, consider what kind of environment you are living in. Do you feel that you have good privacy? If you were to do online counseling, do you have a private area where you would not be bothered? If not, in-person therapy would be best for you. It’s crucial that you have a safe space you feel comfortable being vulnerable in. And if you do not have a safe space in your home, it’s good to seek out a therapist with an office.

And remember, therapy is effective, whether it’s online or in-person. You can still make genuine connections with a therapist virtually. However, it is recommended for children to do in-person due to the need for hands-on play therapy. Otherwise, evaluate your situation and what availability looks like!

If you are struggling with depression, depression therapy in Simi Valley, Ca is here to help. You will be provided with a safe space to be vulnerable with your therapist. Just know, you are not alone!

3 Tips for Finding a Therapist in the Simi Valley Area: Understand your insurance benefits or weekly budget

woman seeking anxiety therapy in Simi Valley, ca for worrying and panic attacks

Insurance can be confusing when it comes to mental health. It can be referred to as behavioral health, as well. First off, understand whether you have HMO or PPO insurance. HMO insurances only provide benefits for working with in-network providers. 

For example, if you have Anthem HMO, you’ll only receive coverage when working with a therapist who accepts Anthem. PPO insurances work for in-network, and usually, out of network providers/services. PPO insurances usually provide you with out of network benefits. This is different from coverage. PPO insurances will give you a deductible and a reimbursement percentage. 

If you are working with an out of network provider, insurance will not provide coverage, such as you only paying a copay.

Working with an out of network provider requires you to pay their full session fee, up front and out of pocket. Let’s say your PPO deductible is $500. Your out of network provider should be recording all your payments on a document called a superbill. This superbill can be submitted as a claim to your insurance.

Once it is documented that you have paid your deductible, the reimbursement percentage will kick in. You will continue to pay out of pocket to the provider. However, when the superbill is submitted, the insurance will reimburse you for a percentage of the total paid.

 For example, let’s say insurance will reimburse 75% after you reach your deductible. And, you paid $540 in sessions this month. So, since your deductible has been reached, the insurance will directly reimburse you $405. This is usually in the form of a check sent directly to your residence.  

Click here to read more about insurance FAQs!

Now that you have a better understanding of how insurance works, what’s your weekly budget? In-network providers usually have small copay amounts. Out of network providers can average between $130 and $220 per hour session. 

Since in-network providers are so accommodating in pricing, they are usually in high demand. Some therapists also offer sliding scales to accommodate what you can afford to pay out of pocket. 

Think of therapy as an investment into yourself and your future! 

You will leave therapy with worthwhile skills, coping mechanisms, and tools to cope with mental health on your own. It could be that you’ll return due to your desire for that safe space with someone you can trust. It can be tough to consider at the moment, but when you look at the long term benefits, it is entirely worth it.

Anxiety therapy in Simi Valley will help you address your worrying, overthinking, and stress in an effective way. You don’t need to hold on to these negative thoughts any longer – seek help and get started today.

3 Tips for Finding a Therapist in the Simi Valley Area: Hold consultations with therapists to see who you click with most

man seeking out depression therapy in Simi Valley, ca due to constant fatigue and sadness

Finding a therapist that you click with the most is one of the most crucial parts of this all. You want a therapist that you will feel comfortable being yourself with. You’ll likely be processing tough situations, like past trauma, that you will be getting vulnerable with. 

At the beginning of the process, you may not feel entirely comfortable yet. This is normal! You and your therapist are essentially strangers. But, your therapist has the intent to get to know you, understand you, and be a resource for you. 

You can usually get a sense of their overall personality over the phone. On top of assessing that you’d work well together, you also want to get a sense of their experience. What populations do they have experience working with? Do they have any specialties? What does their therapy process look like?

Take advantage of being able to get to know the therapist. It may still feel a little scary going into the first session. And, it can take some time to warm up to them. Being vulnerable right off the bat isn’t an easy thing to do, and that’s normal!

It’s also normal to hold a few sessions with them, and maybe decide that it’s not the best fit for you. Therapists work to ensure that you feel comfortable in sessions. While therapists want to push you to create real change, they don’t want to push you beyond your comfort zone. 

Having open communication about how you’re feeling in sessions will open doors for other solutions. Maybe there is another therapist in the group that is more better fitting for you, that you want to try to work with. Therapists do not take this personally, and essentially just want to help you get on the path to being your best version of yourself!

About Simi Psychological Group: We are a team of psychologists and therapists in Simi Valley, Ca offering an array of therapy services. 

At our therapy practice in Simi Valley, Ca we offer Child therapy and family counseling, Teen therapy, Anxiety Treatment, Depression Therapy, Marriage Counseling, and Neuropsychological Testing. Now Offering Online Therapy in Los Angeles and Online Counseling Ventura County

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