Posts Tagged ‘therapy’
LifeCourse Counseling Center accepts MBHP (one of contractors of Mass Health) and all non-HMO insurances (insurance companies do not pay for telephone services).
After more than thirty years of accepting several HMO insurances, our therapists have decided to stop accepting them. While it is regrettable that this limits who can receive services, we want you to understand that the insurance world has become complicated. . The insurance company’s goals are symptom reduction and quick fixes, not healing.
HMO insurance plans require therapists to write reports and plan the “termination” after only a few visits. These reports do not ask about the person as a unique individual. They only ask about symptoms, requiring us to rate you on a scale of general functioning and asking us to list behavioral goals for your therapy (not necessarily the goals that are your goals!).
These reports do not allow us our therapists to present a picture of you and what you perceive as your issues, nor the hopes and things for which you strive. Also, typically HMO insurances offer a very limited number of visits unless you are given a strong diagnoses. At LifeCourse, we are more concerned with healing and giving each unique individual what they need, rather than a prescribed number of visits.
If you have the option, you may be able to choose an insurance plan where you can pick your own provider, not one from a list the insurance company provides. Usually there is a deductible and sometimes the co-payments are higher. But in the long run we find that clients get more from their insurance company, usually because more sessions are allowed and are not “managed” as much.
We like non-HMO insurances also because they give people much more flexibility in choosing other doctors as well.
Call or email us for more information or to set up an appointment.
Tetty Gorfine, Director
Founder and director Tetty Gorfine first created Lifeline Institute of Amherst, MA, a non-profit agency, much like LifeCourse Counseling Center, serving lesbian, gay and bisexual people. Shortly after that she extended services to include Springfield and Northampton, MA.
Tetty has been a practicing psychotherapist since 1980. She has worked extensively with LGBTQ individuals, couples and groups and has supervised both clinicians and therapists in training.
Most recently Ms. Gorfine has pioneered a U.S. and Canada telephone and video therapy service, Connections in Therapy, LLC serving all LGBTQ people, bridging the gap in mental health care for these populations.
Ms. Gorfine has years of experience in working with Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals and uses sign language as the primary mode of communication with these clients.
Tetty’s vision and leadership spirited nearly all of LifeCourse Counseling Center’s programs (read about some of LifeCourse’s accomplishments).
She has also been on numerous radio talk shows and television programs within and outside of Western Massachusetts, and has presented at professional conferences teaching others therapists about the issues pertinent to gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer individuals.
Tetty believes deeply in our healing potential and the resilience that enables people to be whole.
Call or email us for more information or to set up an appointment.
Relationships are hard! Whether couples are newly together or have been together for years, each stage presents its own challenges.
Learning to listen deeply and communicate clearly and honestly is vitally important. So is being able to ask for what you need, learning to disagree and learning to tolerate your differences. Sometimes there are tensions concerning who gets their way.
There can be life crises, family issues, illnesses, financial challenges, children to raise, and so much more.
Learning to listen and negotiate takes time, practice, effort and patience. Speaking with a professionally trained therapist can help with all this and more. Couples therapy can make a huge difference.
While the office is located in Northampton, LifeCourse’s individual therapy services are easily accessible to people living in Springfield, Greenfield, the Brattleboro Vt area, Amherst and surrounding areas of the Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts. Telephone and skype appointments are also available.
Call or email us for more information or to set up an appointment.