Seeking a great therapist in NYC
February 7, 2011 12:03 PM   Subscribe

I finally have health insurance for the first time in my adult life, starting this week. The best part is that it coincides with my recent decision to finally seek treatment for my longstanding untreated ADHD and severe social anxiety problems. Finally, all the AskMe recommendations for people to seek therapy and at least consider medication have inspired me to do the same, after years of being resistant to the idea. Now, how do I find a really good doctor/therapist in NYC so I can get started on all this?

I will have AETNA insurance, and I believe I need a primary doctor to refer me to other doctors. I am primarily seeking recommendations for a therapist, but would also love a recommendation for a primary doctor as well. I've never had insurance, so I'm frankly pretty overwhelmed by the process (and I really don't have anyone else to ask for specific ideas on the doctor front.)

I am 35, an artist/underemployed nonprofit worker, and ready to do anything to function better and more productively at this point. If you know of a good doctor of either sort, your recommendations would really help me get started on this path. You can also send me a private message by memail if you would prefer. Any leads would be extremely helpful. Many thanks.
posted by asimplemouse to Health & Fitness (4 answers total)

This post was deleted for the following reason: poster's request -- jessamyn

 
Congratulations! That's a big deal. Here are a few tidbits...

I don't know that you always need a primary care doc to recommend you to a therapist. Check your plan information. Regardless, you should plan to audition a few therapists. They shouldn't charge you for an initial visit. When I saw a therapist a few years ago, we happened to hit it off immediately. But my friends have met with a few people before finding someone they like. Don't despair, it might just take a little time.

Lots of therapists don't take insurance. Or, they'll have you do all the paperwork to submit the bills for reimbursement. Check your plan to see how much they cover for in/out of network therapists. That will help you decide if you can afford someone. The same may be true for psychiatrists, and you'll probably have to see one for medications since most therapists aren't MDs and can't prescribe meds.

If you'd like to send me a memail message, I'm happy to tell you about the woman who was my therapist. As for the primary care doc, I suggest you send email or facebook messages to your friends asking for recommendations. People are happy to provide this info.
posted by paindemie at 12:35 PM on February 7, 2011


Dr. Tammy Leopold is an excellent primary care physician.

As for therapists, I'd like to suggest that you try very hard to find a therapist who takes your insurance, or one who does payments on a sliding scale such that they won't be a burden to you if you never get around to getting them reimbursed by Aetna. When I started seeing a therapist for my ADHD, I went to one that was very highly regarded, but where I had to handle all the reimbursement paperwork. The therapist was expensive, so even though I was supposed to be reimbursed for most of the cost, it was a financial burden while I dealt with the reimbursement process. Eventually I decided the stress from dealing with the paperwork was too much, and I found a different therapist, whose fees I can afford regardless of whether or not I get my act together to get reimbursed. And now therapy is actually helpful.
posted by ocherdraco at 12:43 PM on February 7, 2011


The first thing you need to do is read your benefits statement to see if psychiatric/psychological care is covered. It frequently isn't.
posted by valkyryn at 1:01 PM on February 7, 2011 [1 favorite]


Response by poster: I believe it is covered, with $20 copays. Can I please just request names of people? I can figure out on my own if particular people are workable or not. I only have a couple of semi-friends, and they have no health insurance either, so you guys are my only hope for particular recommendations. Also, I have more than enough despair-inducing information at my fingertips, so don't feel the need to point out potential problems with coverage. I am really just hoping for some names (Dr. Leopold looks great, I really appreciate it!). Also, I know many people have a sliding scale, so even if I have problems with my particular insurance, I may not necessarily have to give up on someone really good. Thanks again guys!
posted by asimplemouse at 1:55 PM on February 7, 2011


« Older Offering a settlement on a credit card - how did...   |   Facebook Privacy Settings Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.