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December 28, 2022 by Ariel Sheeger Leave a Comment

How Bipolar Disorder Can Affect Relationships

Bipolar disorder is a condition that affects an individual’s mood. While manageable, the condition not only affects how a person thinks and feels, but also how they behave and act in romantic relationships. For instance, individuals with bipolar disorder experience severe high and low moods, which are typically called manic and depressive episodes. While in these emotional states, their behavior can scare and confuse their partner.

The good news is, with the right treatment plan, many individuals with bipolar disorder can have healthy and satisfying relationships.

Manic vs Depressive Episodes

In order to understand how bipolar disorder can affect relationships, we need to look at how the two main episodes affect a person’s personality and behavior.

When someone is in a manic state, they are often very irritable. This may cause them to disagree with their partner, and sometimes cause them to look for fights that aren’t really there.

Manic episodes also cause sufferers to partake in risky behaviors, such as binge drinking or gambling sprees. These risky behaviors can cause a lot of tension in the relationship.

Depressive episodes tend to cause the person to become very depressed and less communicative. They may be very weepy and feel hopeless. During these episodes the individual may pull away from their partner. They may also seem so lost and sad their partner feels overwhelmed and unable to help them.

Tips for Healthy Relationships

There is no relationship on the planet that doesn’t require a lot of work and effort. A relationship with a bipolar individual is no different. The good news is, there are numerous ways to build a loving and strong relationship in this situation:

  • Learn about the condition – The more you know about bipolar disorder, the more you can understand what your partner is experiencing.
  • Know their triggers – Triggers can disrupt your loved one’s mood, sending them into either a manic or depressive episode. Asking about potential triggers will help you support your loved one.
  • Creating a support plan – A comprehensive plan will help you support your partner. Your plan can include things like useful contacts, activities to avoid, necessary adjustments to daily routine, etc.

Takeaway

If you’ve been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, or if you are on the verge or diving into a relationship with someone who has, know that the condition does not mean you will be saddled with problems. But a healthy relationship will depend on effectively managing symptoms.

If you’d like to work with a licensed mental health therapist who specializes in working with individuals with bipolar disorder, please give my office a call. I’d be happy to discuss treatment plans and how I may be able to help you experience a profound and loving connection with others.

SOURCES:

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324380

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/mood-disorders/bipolar-relationships-what-to-expect

https://www.bipolarlife.org.au/how-can-bipolar-disorder-affect-relationships/

Filed Under: bipolar, relationships

December 27, 2022 by Ariel Sheeger Leave a Comment

Why Some Therapists Don’t Accept Insurance

It’s not easy finding a therapist. You’ve got to search for someone who is licensed, has experience treating your particular issue, and someone who you feel comfortable opening up to. Many know the frustration of finding someone who ticks all of these boxes, only to realize that they don’t take insurance. The truth is, roughly one third of therapists in this country do not accept insurance.

So what gives?

Why Many Therapists Don’t Accept Insurance

There are actually quite a few reasons why some therapists choose not accept insurance from patients:

Low Reimbursement Rates

The average cost of a therapy session around the country is typically between $100 to $200. With insurance, you may have a copay of $20 – $50. You may assume your therapist will bill the insurance company and be reimbursed for the rest of the money. But often insurance companies will reimburse for half the amount or less. It can be quite difficult for a therapist to make an actual living wage with such low reimbursement rates.

Hassles

Another deterrent for therapists is the hassle of interacting with insurance companies. As you can imagine, there are far more pleasant things to do with one’s time. Insurance companies often require therapists to continually provide documentation to justify treatment of their patients. And, because mental health outcomes can be far more difficult to measure than physical ones, it can be harder to prove to insurance companies that care is essential.

Supply and Demand

Far more people are seeking mental health therapy. We have actually seen a dramatic increase in new patients since the Covid pandemic. And what happens is, with so many patients willing to pay out of pocket, there is simply less of a need for therapists to deal with the hassles and headaches of insurance.

Finding Affordable Mental Health Care

If you are on a budget, all is not lost. There are ways to work with a great therapist and not break the bank.

You can find a therapist who offers sliding scale payments. This simply means different people with different incomes are charged different amounts based on what they can realistically afford.

Another option is to look for a therapist who provides online sessions. With no office rent or staff to hire, these therapists are often able to charge clients far less because they have far lower overheads to run their business.

If you’d like to explore treatment options, please give me a call. I offer online sessions and can often work with people of all different budgets.

SOURCES:

Therapists Who Don’t Accept Insurance

https://www.heartmatterstherapy.com/post/5-reasons-why-some-therapists-do-not-accept-insurance

3 Reasons Why Many Therapists Don’t Take Insurance

Filed Under: insurance, mental health

December 23, 2022 by Ariel Sheeger Leave a Comment

A guide to choosing a sex worker-affirmative therapist

Background

Due to the stigma of sex work, sex workers can be vulnerable to microaggressions and minority stres​s and can experience​         discrimination when they access basic services, like healthcare or therapy.  As such, this guide is intended to help people with sex work experience in finding a mental health professional that approaches sex work from a harm-reduction, workers-rights perspective.

Many therapists are unfortunately not trained in sex worker-specific issues, conflate sex work with sex trafficking, use language describing sex work that is inappropriate/offensive, and assume sex work is pathological. This criteria are intended to be used by sex workers in their search for a mental health professional.

What are the criteria for sex worker-affirmative therapists?

  • A therapist who is sex worker-affirmative recognizes that sex work can be a normal part of the sexual spectrum of behavior and is able to distinguish sex work from non consensual sexual exploitation.
  • The therapist has educated themselves about sex work via books, articles, websites, discussion groups, and by talking to sex workers about their experiences.
  • The therapist is aware of what constitutes safer and less safe types of sex work (acknowledging that different people may have different standards for this).
  • The therapist is aware of different types of sex work and expectations/definitions of said work that are commonly encountered in the sex work community.
  • The therapist understand the minority stress that sex workers may experience in keeping their work a secret/concealing it from their friends, family, partners, etc.
  • The therapist has worked with a number of clients from the sex work community, and are explicitly welcoming of such therapy clients in their advertising materials.
  • Finally, the therapist is aware that for many sex workers, sex work might not have anything to do with the reason that the client is coming in for therapy. Often, sex work is just another facet of someone’s life, like their vegetarianism or their hobby of knitting.
  • In smaller towns, it may be more difficult to find a therapist who meets all of the above criteria. The next best option may be to find a therapist who, while not necessarily sex worker-affirmative, is sex work-aware. Such a therapist may not be explicitly trained or experienced in working with sex workers and needs of people in the industry, but they would be willing to maintain an open mind, and can commit to not being judgmental towards their therapy client. Some therapist are also offering online therapy (“distance-counseling”), which can be a good option for people living in smaller, more rural areas.
  • The therapist will welcome your suggestions about books and other resources that they can use to expand their awareness about sex work. Often this type of therapist has worked with other sexual minority clients, like members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities and kink and/or polyamorous folks.

How do I actually find a therapist?

  • There are many online directories that are useful and can search for local therapists. Psychology Today is a good place to​  start.
  • The American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors and Therapists director​y
  • The American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors and Therapists director​y
  • The National Coalition for Sexual Freedom kink-aware professionals director​y
  • Ask your local SWOP chapte​r if members have recommendations for local therapists who are competent in working with sex​
  • When searching these directories, look for therapists who mention sex positivity, offer LGBTQIA+ affirmative care, and specialize in sexual health issues – this does not guarantee they are sex worker-affirmative, but they may have more knowledge about sex work in general and be more open to learning.
  • If you have questions, reach out and ask the therapist! Some good questions for therapists could be:
  • Have you worked therapeutically with sex workers before?
  • What is your therapeutic style?
  • Do you use harm-reduction practices?
  • Are you familiar with the sex workers outreach project?
  • Do you view sex work from a labor-perspective? Have you done any abstinence-based work in the past (regarding drugs/alcohol)?

In conclusion, it is important to find a mental health professional who is understanding , empathic, and supportive of your work and respects your decisions. Sex work is not in and of itself pathological and is something that can be a very healthy part of your life and identity. You deserve to find a therapist who has information about sexual diversity and range of sexual expression, including sex work.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

December 21, 2022 by Ariel Sheeger Leave a Comment

Benefits of Therapy Dogs

It has been said many times that dogs are man’s best friend. If you’ve ever had the privilege of sharing your life and home with a dog, you know they are wonderful companions.

Therapy dogs, in particular, offer tremendous emotional support to their humans. Therapy dogs sometimes live right in a person’s home, but they can also visit a variety of environments such as nursing homes, hospitals and schools.

Here are just some of the many benefits of therapy dogs:

Improve Our Mental Health

Dogs have a very calming effect on us. In fact, many studies have found they can actually decrease your blood pressure. But in addition, they seem to be able to lessen the symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Help Children Who Have Been Abused

Children find it much easier to talk to animals than adult humans. This is especially true for children who have suffered some form of abuse. Many therapy dogs are used in child-abuse centers where they help children feel safe enough to express their emotions.

Helping with PTSD

Therapy dogs have been used to help war veterans who are experiencing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Improved Physical Health

Sometimes people, especially seniors, need a reason to get up and go. A therapy dog is a great reason to take a walk around the block. This increase in activity can have a significant benefit on a person’s physical health.

True Companionship

So many in our communities are isolated and lonely. Therapy dogs can provide wonderful companionship. I have seen people go from sad to happy in less than a day when a dog suddenly came into their life!

If you are interested in getting a therapy dog for yourself or a loved one, you can do a search for therapy dog trainers in your local area.

SOURCES:

https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/how-therapy-dogs-can-improve-well-being-0527137

https://www.verywellmind.com/therapy-dogs-benefits-2615438

The Surprising Benefits Of Therapy Dogs This 2022

Filed Under: therapy animals

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