When you need assistance for your teen suffering from PTSD, two major questions parents ask are: “What type of treatment will work for my teen?” and “Can we afford it?”
The PTSD treatment cost varies greatly. A different private therapist may cost much more or less than a community clinic, and insurance also affects how much a family will pay. The duration of treatment plays an important role, too.
Here are seven tips before booking the first appointment.
1. The Price of One Session Isn’t the Whole Cost
Well, it is simple to compare therapists based on their hourly fees, but more relevant is the cost of treatment in the next few weeks or months.
The methods of treating PTSD may involve psychotherapy, drug treatment, or both. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the average time of psychotherapy to treat PTSD ranges between 6 and 12 weeks, sometimes even more.
This means that low rates of the therapy per session do not necessarily imply lower costs when treatment takes much more time.
Here are the questions to the therapist:
- How often will the sessions be held?
- How long will the sessions take?
- What could be the approximate duration of treatment at first?
- Can parent/family sessions be included?
- Are the tests done separately?
2. Teen PTSD Treatment May Involve the Whole Family
So, when the PTSD sufferer is a teenager, counseling doesn’t have to be confined only to the teenager meeting with the counselor for 50 minutes.
Based on circumstances, the therapist may want to include the parents or caregivers during the treatment process. It will assist the parents in understanding how to handle trauma reactions and assist their teenager in the time period between sessions.
Therefore, parents should find out about the involvement of the parents or caregivers during treatment from the prospective counselors treating a child.
It may be beneficial, but parents need to find out whether further meetings would incur further costs.
3. Insurance Can Change What You Actually Pay
Remember that the price quoted for the therapy treatment might not be the final cost you will pay for it.
This is especially true if you have health insurance coverage because you will need to know whether the therapist is covered under your health insurance, the deductibles, and whether there is a co-payment or coinsurance.
It is advised by the American Psychological Association to verify the insurance coverage before embarking on therapy.
This will take just five minutes on a phone call.
4. Don’t Assume the Most Expensive Therapist Is the Right Choice
Well, the cost of the therapy can become a criterion for selecting a provider because parents believe the higher the cost, the better the treatment.
However, price is not an indicator of a good match between the therapist and the adolescent.
What really matters is the therapist’s experience in working with adolescents and with PTSD, and his treatment method, way of communicating with patients, availability, and clarity in the explanation of the treatment strategy.
According to the American Psychological Association (APA) recommendations, it is necessary to ask about the provider’s experience in treating PTSD, treatment strategy, insurance, and methods of assessment of the results of therapy.
In other words, do not shop by price but by appropriateness and sustainability of the care.
5. Ask About Lower-Cost Options Before You Say No to Therapy
So, if personal therapy appears to be expensive, this does not necessarily mean that therapy is inaccessible.
There are therapists who use sliding fee scales, and the cost will vary depending on the level of income at home. Also, community mental health agencies, university training clinics, non-profit agencies, and other local resources may offer low-cost therapy.
NIMH advises in particular that parents should ask therapists about costs of therapy, insurance, and sliding scale rates before hiring.
Moreover, parents should ask about an employee assistance plan, school counseling services, or community agency services to do an initial evaluation or to refer the child to a specialist.
6. Ask What You’re Actually Paying For
It is wise to talk about finances straightforwardly. It saves parents from embarrassment later on. Actually, it might simplify the entire therapy process.
Before anything else, consider asking these questions:
- How much does one session cost?
- Is the first session charged differently?
- Are the sessions with the parents charged differently?
- Do you take health insurance?
- Is there a sliding scale fee?
- What will be the consequences of cancelling one appointment?
- How will you evaluate our success?
- How often will we check on the therapy?
This list of questions is not meant to make the therapy look like buying at a clearance sale. It is rather a way to get prepared mentally and financially.
7. Don’t Let Cost Be the Only Reason to Delay Getting Help
Money is a factor. Families have budgets, bills, and other commitments. However, if problems stemming from trauma are creating a lot of anxiety for the individual or are interfering with their education, social life, sleep, or day-to-day existence, seeking the advice of an experienced psychologist is advisable.
According to the APA, therapy may be required when the problem is interfering with one’s life and causing serious distress.
This is not to say that all teenagers exposed to traumatic events need to receive therapy. The role of the therapist is to advise on how much therapy is necessary.
But if the first therapist does not seem the right choice, it does not mean treatment has failed. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), one should discuss issues with the therapist and seek alternative therapies or therapists for PTSD in teens if needed.
A Final Thought for Parents
Wrapping up, the true concern here isn’t just about PTSD treatment cost, but rather,
“What kind of treatment does my teenager need, how long will it take, and what’s it really going to cost us?”
The answers to those questions make all the difference when it comes to understanding the numbers. You’ll be able to shop around, consider your insurance, see if there are sliding scale fees available, and budget accordingly without any surprises after the initial appointment.
As a parent, knowing the answers to such a basic concern means one less stressor in an already stressful situation.
