The Mental Health Connection
Back in June, we were honored to be nominated as one of San Diego’s Best in The San Diego Union-Tribune’s readers poll. I’m happy to announce that Help Therapy was voted one of San Diego’s Best for 2021, not once, but twice!
We appreciate your support and entrusting Help Therapy with the care of your clients. Now, more than ever, mental healthcare providers play an essential role as we learn to adapt to our ever-changing and uncertain world.
One of the focuses of this month, suicide prevention, clearly demonstrates that many people desperately need the help and support of skilled and caring mental healthcare professionals.
We’ll continue to do our best in providing your referrals with the most qualified providers best suited to each of their particular needs and desires.
As a reminder, we’d love to share your accomplishments with our community members, such as patient success stories and presentations. Contact us at info@helptherapy.com.
Sincerely,
Annette Conway Psy.D CEO Help Therapy
September is National Recovery Month
Millions of lives have been transformed through recovery from a substance use and/or other mental health illness. Yet, these successes often go unnoticed by the general population.
National Recovery Month (Recovery Month) aims to educate people—proving that those with a substance abuse and/or mental health illness can and do live healthy and rewarding lives. This observance further spreads the message that behavioral health is an essential part of overall health and that treatment is effective and people can and do recover.
The day was established by the Association for Addiction Professionals (NAADAC) to commemorate the hard work and dedication of addiction professionals. This years’ National Recovery Month theme is, “Recovery is For Everyone: Every Person, Every Family, Every Community.”
The Future of Telehealth
Since the pandemic’s beginning, many of us have embraced telehealth as an alternative to in-office visits. States enhanced private insurance coverage of telehealth services to encourage the use of these virtual appointments. But as time goes on there is concern around future billing and reimbursement. Policymakers are now considering how best to regulate telemedicine moving forward. Should pay parity remain, revert to pre-pandemic rates or should new policies be implemented?
Those in favor of keeping pay parity argue that pre-COVID 19 telehealth rates are too low for healthcare providers. Those against pay parity contend that lower payment rates should be established for telehealth services to avoid overuse.
Healthcare professionals offering telehealth services need to know how to bill patients and receive reimbursement in this ever-changing environment. If you need help navigating through the twists and turns of the telehealth environment, this Telehealth Reimbursement Guide may be beneficial.
This guide answers questions such as:
How do you bill for telemedicine?
How does reimbursement differ for Medicare or Medicaid vs. private payers?
Time will tell how the patient-therapist relationship and the outcomes of therapy will be affected by virtual sessions and if it’s a cost-effective practice for patient and practitioner.
6 Tips to Get the Most Out of Therapy
The ability to work with a mental health expert is becoming more accessible due to the availability of telehealth. Here are six tips to getting the most out of therapy you may want to share.
Working with a psychologist, therapist, or other mental health professional can be life-changing for those suffering from a mental illness. But you don’t need to be diagnosed with a disorder to benefit from therapy. Therapy gives you the opportunity to be heard. It’s a safe place to explore your thoughts, feelings, and patterns of behavior.
The ability to work with a mental health expert is becoming more accessible due to the availability of telehealth. Here are six tips to getting the most out of therapy you may want to share.
1. Find the Therapist That’s the Right Fit for You
Not every mental healthcare provider will be a good fit. Therapists have varied training, specialize in different types of mental illness and use different techniques.
Start by clearly identifying what you are seeking help for. If you’re struggling with anxiety, for example, you may find a therapist who regularly treats anxiety a better fit than one specializing in substance abuse.
You also want to consider what type of sessions you prefer—in-office, at home or online. You may even have the option to have some of your sessions in-office and others online.
This Month's Tip
3 Ways to Boost Your Mental Health
This is a list of three small but impactful ways to enhance your mental health, bringing more joy and reducing stress.
1. Practice self-care and make yourself a priority
Eat a healthy diet
Exercise
Get quality sleep
Practice mindfulness or meditation
Take daily “me time”
2. Disconnect from electronics and social media
Establish an electronics-free time
Turn off WiFi before going to sleep
Avoid checking email and social media as soon as you get up
3. Engage in activities that provide meaning
Take up a hobby
Volunteer
Spend time in nature
Travel
"Anything that’s human is mentionable, and anything that is mentionable can be more manageable. When we can talk about our feelings, they become less overwhelming, less upsetting, and less scary."
— Fred Rogers
Featured Practitioner
Dr. Ernest Llynn Lotecka
Ernest Llynn Lotecka, Ph.D., has practiced behavioral health psychology for over three decades. He has worked with a wide range of clients on successful solutions to life’s challenges — specializing in PTSD, anxiety, depression and social problems.
Dr. Lotecka’s professional approach emphasizes coping skills and improving the quality of relationships. He has worked with adults, children and families in a variety of outpatient, residential, home, and day programs including addiction treatment. He also embraces telehealth as a way to connect with many of his clients.
His history includes community service and training, research and authoring several publications, including:
People Skills and Self-Management — how to learn important skill sets including communications, relationships, focusing, goal-setting, relaxation/serenity, and decision-making.
Attention. Better Attention, and Best Attention — a compact focusing guide for clarifying, mobilizing, engaging, strengthening, and sustaining valued priorities with a range of proven methods to assist in obtaining goals.
Events
National Suicide Prevention Month
September 1 -30, 2021
See the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline for more information.
National Suicide Prevention Week
September 6-12, 2021
See Health Resources & Services Administration for more information.
World Suicide Prevention Day
September 10, 2021
See National Today for more information.
National HIV/AIDS Day and National Aging Awareness Day
September 18, 2021
World Alzheimer’s Day
September 21, 2021
See awareness Days and Alzheimer's Disease international for more information.
National Gay Men’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
September 27, 2021
See CDC for more information.
Partner With Us
Are you a psychologist, LCSW or LMFT?
We’re always looking for exceptional mental healthcare providers. Visit helptherapy.com for more information and fill out the quick and easy application.
Benefits:
Stream of new patients
Billing off your plate
Flexibility and Freedom
Credentialing assistance
No hidden costs
Do you have something to share?
We’d love to hear about your successes and accomplishments!
Have you:
Written an article?
Given a presentation?
Been featured on a podcast?
Contact us at info@helptherapy.com.
We welcome your feedback.
What would you like to see in this newsletter?
Do you have a topic you would like discussed?
Have questions?
Want to learn more about Help Therapy?
Visit helptherapy.com, call 858-481-8827 or email info@helptherapy.com