Mental Health Therapy and Counseling | Blog | What's New in Therapy | Atlanta, GA | 30092 - Private Counseling

www.PrivateCounselingGA.com Private Counseling provides mental health therapy and counseling services to adults and adolescents in Atlanta, GA.

Telemental Health (Virtual) Counseling Sessions

8/29/2020

Proud to announce:

Private Counseling and Bree Winkler continue to offer virtual, HIPAA-compliant counseling sessions for your convenience! Here's a brief introduction --

Author

Bree Winkler is a licensed professional counselor in Atlanta, GA. Bree specializes in helping clients (virtually or in-person) manage depression, anxiety, anger, and relationship issues.

Telemental Health Benefits

4/17/2020

april_2020_newsletter.pdf
File Size:	756 kb
File Type:	pdf

Author

Bree Winkler is a licensed professional counselor in Atlanta, GA. Bree helps clients manage anxiety, depression, anger, and relationship issues. Contact today for more information and virtual support!

Dealing with the Insurance Company

8/9/2019

My blood is boiling! I am a mental health counselor because I WANT to help people. I understand that life can be difficult and therefore, quality, genuine support is necessary. However, it is not always accessible or affordable to the individuals who need help the most.

I choose to participate with health insurance companies as an in-network provider as part of my advocacy for helping people. Many therapists (and I mean, the majority of them!) in the Atlanta area do not accept insurance for mental health services. This means a potential client has to decide if they can afford to pay the full price of counseling in order to receive effective treatment. Some clients are blessed financially to be able to afford this luxury. Others, are not – but these people deserve to receive quality therapeutic services as well!

Here is WHY some therapists (this includes individuals who are licensed as LPC, LMFT, LCSW, PhD, PsyD, MD in mental health) stopped accepting insurance:

Time: It can take an hour or more (per client) to access a representative to discuss benefits, claims, preauthorization. This is BEFORE seeing a client for the initial session.
Payment Delay: It takes 7-14 days to receive payment after a claim is submitted.

Claim Issues: If a claim is denied or other issues arise with payment, the provider must re-contact the insurance company to advocate (fight) for a resolution. This can require several calls and hours of UNPAID time. ** This is why my blood is boiling today! Yes, Anthem BlueCross BlueShield, I’m referring to you! **
Payment Rate: Payment from insurance companies changes based on client plan. The payment range is between $60-$98. Therapists who do not accept insurance typically charge $150+ per session.
Frustration: Contacting the insurance company means going through an automated system, then dealing with a representative who “understands” the issues but can’t do anything to help except read from a script. Providers are unable to speak to a manager or receive a resolution in the moment; everything has to be “expedited” to an “adjuster” and then wait “7-10 business days” for a resolution. (Yes, I realize I’m putting everything in air quotes. The frustration is that it usually requires more than one round of “research” for BCBS to fix any issues.)
Expensive: Therapists are only paid for the time they are face-to-face with a client; therefore, paperwork, claim submission, billing, etc. are unpaid work time. This means a provider must either: 1) use their time to contact the insurance company or 2) hire personnel to handle anything related to non-therapeutic tasks.

Deep Breath, Bree. Inhale… Exhale…

Now that I have shared with all of you what the behind-the-scenes experience of dealing with insurance companies (specifically Anthem BCBS), I want to shift focus and share with you WHY I will continue to accept insurance for my clients:

Client Needs: My clients need help managing anxiety, depression, and anger. My clients don’t need (and may not be able to handle) the stress of worrying about the cost of counseling and/or the stress of contacting insurance companies. Clients deserve respect and compassion. I will advocate for them (even though it is personally frustrating sometimes).

Mental Health Awareness: Without effective mental health treatment, individuals living with depression and anxiety are in crisis. Access to therapy is need to prevent suicide and maladaptive living for individuals.
Advocating: Insurance companies need to know that they are causing harm to individuals who are in dire need of mental health services. Denying access to services, underpayment of services, and/or lack of payment for services means some therapists will stop partnering with insurance companies.

It’s that simple (and complicated). People matter.
How can we get the insurance companies
(specifically Anthem BCBS) to realize this??

Author

Bree Winkler is a licensed professional counselor in Atlanta, GA. Bree helps clients manage anxiety, depression, anger, and relationship issues. She accepts Aetna and Anthem insurance plans, as well as private pay and offers receipts for out-of-network claims.

Mental Health Check-In

7/10/2019

Being cognizant of your mental health daily, preferably each moment, is mental health awareness (#mentalhealthawareness).

Pause.

Assess by asking yourself:

How do I feel right now?
How am I speaking to myself?
What am I doing that is good for myself?
What can I do differently to feel better/healthier right now?
Who can I lean on for support?

The answers to these questions give you the opportunity to be completely in tune with how you are feeling and how that is impacting your actions and choices.

Reflect on these questions:

When am I most likely to make poor decisions?
What situations cause me to experience negative thoughts?
How do I handle emotional pain?
Do I need help making different choices or responding differently (especially to stressful situations)?

Often, clients tell me they don’t want to burden their family or friends with their issues. Therefore, they keep their pain inside. When we bury our pain, it grows in our minds but manifests externally in destructive ways (such as over/under eating, isolation, excessive sleeping, lack of participation in enjoyable hobbies, yelling or arguing with others, violence, excessive drinking, drug usage, suicidal ideation – just to name a few examples).

It can be difficult to ask for help (from a professional counselor or from family/friends), but people are not supposed to live in isolation! Most people want to help other. Surrounding yourself with quality help and support is a necessary part of a healthy mental health journey. If you need help with anxiety, depression, anger, and/or relationship issues, contact Bree today for your free phone consultation before we schedule your initial session.

Mindful Blog – Be Good to Yourself

4/8/2019

Welcome back to the weekly blog from Private Counseling dedicated to Mindfulness!

-- Quick Recap --
Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us.
Myth: Mindfulness = completely clearing your mind of any thoughts, breathing calmly, and being peaceful.
Truth: There are MANY ways to be mindful! I hope it is a relief for you to realize that you don’t have to empty your mind (because that can be almost impossible). We will focus on 6 categories of Mindfulness (created by Dr. Elisha Goldstein) – 1) Being Calm 2) Being in the Here and Now 3) Being Good to Yourself 4) Being Happy 5) Being Kind 6) Being Balanced

This week’s goal is to Be Good to Yourself: by Showing Myself Compassion

Self-compassion is:

Recognizing that your perception is causing you to feel inadequate, feel like a failure, or allowing you to sit in suffering
Acknowledging the difficulty you are having is temporary
Understanding that we are not really alone in our suffering
Supporting ourselves in that moment

In a difficult moment, you can practice self-compassion by:

Placing a soothing hand on your heart
Reaching out to a supportive friend
Doing something kind for yourself (such as taking a hot bubble bath, enjoying the breeze outside, reading something interesting, closing your eyes for a few minutes just to listen and breathe, or list your daily gratitude)

If you need help being good to yourself and utilizing effective strategies for self-care and compassion, therapy is a healthy option.

Author

Bree Winkler is a licensed professional counselor in Atlanta, GA. Bree specializes in helping clients manage anxiety, depression, anger, and relationship issues. Contact Bree today to schedule your initial session.

Am I crazy? Or are You trying to make me think I’m crazy??

3/10/2019

I believe we’ve all had moments where we question our own sanity. Maybe it is when you make a big purchase impulsively. Maybe it is when you decide to have your first (or fifth) child. Perhaps it is when you decide to make a career change and/or move to another city. It can feel “crazy” to fall in love, to try skydiving or bungy-jumping, sing karaoke, dance like no one is watching, or hundreds of other small or big scary, exciting, risky, new things. Your sanity is probably also challenged when you continue to make the same decision over and over again, even though you are experiencing disastrous results.

Life needs some “crazy” to feel alive, purposeful, energized; to feel like you are truly living!

The negative stereotype of crazy is: foolish, stupid, bizarre, weird, irrational, ridiculous, eccentric, or odd. Most people don’t want to be judged or insulted. Sometimes, this makes a person conform to societal norms; sometimes it allows someone to choose to limit their time around the types of people who are mean and/or manipulative. As a counselor, I encourage clients to be the best version of themselves and also to set boundaries so clients are not pulled into unhealthy relationships.

Unhealthy relationships can occur in a variety of ways. If your relationship is healthy, you are able to be self-aware and possibly ask yourself “I’m I crazy for pursuing this passion project (despite having the resources)?” If your relationship is unhealthy, you may find yourself asking “I told my boy/girlfriend about my new project idea but he/she said they are happy for me, but then asked if I think I can really follow this through and be successful. I’m so confused.”

gas·light (verb): to attempt to make (someone) believe that he or she is going insane (as by subjecting that person to a series of experiences that have no rational explanation) [or] To manipulate events and situations in order to make a person believe that he or she is crazy.

Gaslighting, which is a type of manipulation, occurs over time. The manipulator wants to gain your trust before he/she knocks you down. If you miss the early warning signs, you may be sucked in too deep to believe you can get out of the relationship as things get worse.

Recently, I caught someone in a lie, so I asked him about it. He responded aggressively and defensively. He never took responsibility or admitted fault. He insulted me by stating “I guess I now know your type of crazy!” The statement was meant to make me realize I was wrong for questioning his poor behavior and character. His goal was for me to apologize. Even as a therapist with healthy boundaries, this accusation hurt my feelings. I needed a few moments to digest and process. Ultimately, I came to the conclusion that (in this situation) that he was “trying to make me think I’m crazy” *not* “I am crazy.”

Here are the main differences:

Acting Crazy = need for more self-awareness, accepting responsibility, showing kindness and care, implementing humility, showing empathy, utilizing healthy coping skills, applying constructive decision-making skills

Tricked into feeling Crazy = realization that this is about the other person, not you! You cannot communicate with a manipulator the same way you can with a rational, reasonable person. Protect yourself first and avoid falling for their harmful tricks.

Additional signs you may be being gaslighted:

1. Withholding: Your partner pretends not to understand you or flat out refuses to listen to you. He or she might say things like “I don’t want to hear this again.”
2. Countering: Your partner questions your memory, even if you’re sure you know what happened. They say “You’re wrong, you never remember things correctly,” or “You’re imagining things, that never happened.”
3. Blocking/Diverting: Your partner changes the subject to silence you or questions how you’re feeling, saying things like “Is that another crazy idea you got from your (friend/family member)?”
4. Trivializing: Your partner makes your needs or feelings seem unimportant, constantly telling you that you’re too sensitive, or that “You’re going to get angry over a little thing like that?”
5. Forgetting/Denying: Your partner pretends to have forgotten what really happened, or flat out denies promises he or she made to you. He/she will say things like, “I don’t know what you’re talking about” or “You’re just making things up.”

If these statements resonate with you, seek help from a professional and your trusted family/friends.

Are constantly second-guessing yourself.
Start to question if you are too sensitive.
Often feel confused and have a hard time making simple decisions.
Find yourself constantly apologizing.
Can’t understand why you’re so unhappy.
Often make excuses for your partner’s behavior.
Feel like you can’t do anything right.
Often feel like you aren’t good enough for others.
Have the sense that you used to be a more confident, relaxed and happy person.
Withhold information from friends and family so you don’t have to explain things.

Addressing the Problem/Tips

Remember, your opinions, feelings and perceptions matter. You have a voice and you have a right to be heard, without ridicule.

Stand your ground, no matter what. The manipulator wants you to give in and give up.

Don’t doubt yourself or your ability to correctly remember what has occurred. If it helps, keep a journal of events. Documenting helps, especially if you need to prove your case before a judge.

Your feelings matter! Your feelings should be validated. If your partner repeatedly dismisses or trivializes your feelings, they are, in essence, treating you like a child.

Do NOT second-guess yourself. Recognize that the problem is with them, not with you.

Author

Bree Winkler LPC is a licensed professional counselor in Atlanta, GA. Bree specializes in helping clients manage anxiety, depression, anger, and relationship issues. Contact Bree today to determine if she is the best fit for your mental health needs.

I’ve Never Met a Feeling I Didn’t Want to Change.

1/27/2019

Whoa! I can relate! Can you?? I was recently listening to a podcast where someone shared this concept: “I’ve never met a feeling I didn’t want to change.”
While you are pondering this, I’ll elaborate. The speaker shared individuals who feel happy seek to feel happier. Whereas, an individual who is experiencing a negative emotion (such a sadness, hurt, fear, disappointment, rejection, guilt, or a variety of other negative emotions), has a deep desire to feel better; to change that feeling.

I find this to be so profound. This simple statement stopped me in my tracks. First, I thought was, “Well, I agree with this, so it feels true.” My second thought was, “Wow! Human nature is not comfortable being in the moment with how they feel.” Thoughts?
So, if an individual (YOU?) are uncomfortable with experiencing your feelings as they happen, what does that mean? Many things!

You are normal!
You crave joy.
You want to experience the joy/happiness regularly.
You want to avoid discomfort.

Here is what is missing: Feelings have a PURPOSE.

You process, interpret, and react to situations differently based on how you feel.
You learn to differentiate between ‘fight or flight.’
When you accept your feelings as-is, you learn resilience.
Discomfort and vulnerability are good things!
Feelings are temporary!

I hope you find both humor and education (through these reminders). I believe both are necessary each day.

Take home message: Feelings have a purpose. Embrace the moment and the associated feeling. Feelings will change. Don’t run away from how you feel!

Author

If this seems like a foreign concept and/or extremely hard for you. Please ask for help. Bree Winkler is a trained licensed professional counselor in Atlanta, GA. Bree specializes in helping clients manage anxiety, depression, anger, and/or relationship issues. Contact Bree today for a free phone consultation.

Anger Management: Expressing Emotions in a Healthy Way

9/23/2018

This is a quick reference guide for adults and teens. Remember, anger is an emotion AND emotions are healthy!

Author

Bree Winkler is a Licensed Professional Counselor near Atlanta, GA. Bree specializes in helping clients manage anxiety, depression, anger, and relationship issues.

www.PrivateCounselingGA.com Private Counseling provides mental health therapy and counseling services to adults and adolescents in Atlanta, GA.