Behavioral Health Clinical Counseling
What is Behavioral Health Clinical Counseling?
Counseling focuses on practical ways to deal with everyday life. It is primarily focused on guiding positive behavioral change toward a specific goal. Counseling provides education, strategies, and an accountability partner to help develop healthier routines. It is a short-term approach to personal growth and development.
Do I have to have a mental health diagnosis to benefit from counseling?
No, counseling can offer practical solutions for managing everyday life. It can be helpful for anyone struggling with
- Coping skills
- Stress management
- Work-life balance
- Parenting challenges
- Sleep disturbances
- Adhering to a healthy lifestyle
- Adhering to medical treatment
- Managing change
- Confidence and self-esteem building
- Communication skills
- Executive functioning concerns
- Problem-solving
- Goal setting
- Goal achievement
How is counseling different than therapy?
Psychotherapy focuses on thoughts, emotions, and psychological barriers to growth and wellness. Behavioral Health Counseling focuses on guiding behavioral change toward a specific goal. It targets concrete changes one at a time while providing accountability.
Who will benefit from counseling?
Counseling works best for older teens and adults who are aware that they need help and feel ready to make a change. Adolescents who are not self-motivated to make changes may benefit more from therapy complemented by behavioral health counseling check-ins and focus sessions. Parents of younger children may benefit through counseling from education, support, and learning strategies to help their children.
Even though counseling benefits many people, some are better served with cognitive behavioral therapy to focus on thoughts and emotions or to address specific mental health diagnoses. An initial consultation will help decide if counseling is appropriate or if psychotherapy is a better path.
How do I get started?
If you think counseling would be helpful to you, the first step is scheduling a consultation. A consultation offers the opportunity to ask questions, discuss concerns, and pre-screen for appropriate next steps. Consultations are 45-minute appointments. No diagnosis is made, nor is medical necessity evaluated during a consultation; therefore, medical insurance does not cover these appointments.
Clinical counseling and supplemental services are self-pay appointments. However, some EAP programs, like Lyra Health, may cover counseling. All services will be charged as self-pay unless you specify a reimbursement plan at scheduling. Upon request, a Good Faith Estimate will be provided for self-pay appointments through the client portal.
Psychotherapy may qualify as a medically necessary treatment and be covered under your health insurance plan. If seeking treatment for a diagnosed mental health disorder, please complete the request for treatment form to be contacted regarding scheduling for therapy or psychiatric diagnostic evaluation.