Sure, your friends and family know you. You trust them. They may even give pretty good advice from time to time. However, working with a professional counselor has its own set of benefits. They have specialized training, they can be objective while keeping the focus on you and your feelings rather than deflecting to their own, your information is kept completely confidential, and there’s never a need to feel guilty about taking up your therapist’s time.

The ups and downs of life are unavoidable. It’s normal to feel down and out one day, then gain some new insight that makes things look brighter a few days later. That said, if you find yourself feeling overwhelmed much of the time and notice that you’re struggling to function in your daily life, it may be time to ask for help.

Signs it may be time to get support: you just don’t feel like yourself, you’re isolating, your relationships are suffering, your emotions feel out of control, you’re changing aspects of your life to accommodate your feelings, you’re spending a lot of time talking or thinking about your emotions and challenges.

In Texas, the cost of a 50-minute session with a mental health professional can range from around $100 - $300+. The cost varies greatly depending on several factors including the type of therapy, the therapist’s location, their level of education, credentials, and specialized training.

At ReThink Counseling, a 50-minute session ranges from $130 - $185 depending on whether you’re seeking counseling as an individual, a couple, or a family and whether you are seeing an associate counselor.

ReThink Counseling does not accept insurance at this time. However, you may still be able to use your health care benefits to cover a portion if not all of your session costs. You can do this by using your HSA (Health Savings Account) or FSA (Flex Spending Account) benefits. We can also provide you with a kind of receipt called a superbill if you have coverage for out-of-network providers. Once uploaded to your patient portal, your insurance company may reimburse you anywhere from 35% to 100% of your session fees. The reimbursement rate varies depending on your provider and your personal benefits plan.

Virtual sessions allow for flexibility and accessibility for those who simply can’t make it into the office for their sessions. Plus, research has shown teletherapy to be highly effective for most common mental health concerns.

That said, many clients are hard-pressed to find a counselor who fits their needs AND offers an in-person therapeutic experience.

ReThink is proud to offer both in-person sessions in our Downtown Austin office and teletherapy across Texas, so clients can access mental health care in whatever setting feels best.

It can be comforting to know what to expect at your first session and asking your therapist can be a great place to start. Here are some other ways to prepare: keep an open mind about counseling and be open to the possibility that it may be helpful to you, write down some topics or concerns you want to cover in case your nerves cause you to draw a blank, be prepared to speak your mind about what’s bothering you—your thoughts, emotions, and needs are what’s important here.

When you know, you know! You’ll often have a gut feeling that indicates whether you and your therapist are a good fit. Sometimes it can take a few sessions to really feel them out, so don’t worry if you aren’t 100% sure after your first session. If after 3 or 4 sessions you still aren’t feeling it, don’t be afraid to ask for referrals to other therapists who may better fit your needs.

Honestly, it’s different for everyone. Regardless of how often you meet for sessions or how many weeks, months, or years you’ve been in therapy, the ultimate goal is to need your counselor less because you’ve been empowered to manage life’s difficulties using all the tools you’ve learned along the way.

Therapy is a big investment of your time, energy, and money—so you want to make sure it’s a good one!

Be sure to get your money’s worth by completing any reflections or homework assignments from your counselor, keep momentum going by maintaining consistent therapy sessions, and be honest about the challenges you’re facing and the progress you’re making.