"I grew up in a household where therapy was not an option, but after seeing a great therapist for anxiety during the pandemic years, I was sold on its benefits. I moved states and couldn't see my therapist anymore, and tried a few different ones in my new city. After many duds, I found a fantastic one, and I've been seeing her for two years. I love working with her, and we've worked through a lot of things and I've seen a lot of growth in myself with her help. Now I have to say goodbye, and I really don't want to."
"Due to how high health insurance premiums are, my partner and I are on a high-deductible plan, so I've been paying out of pocket until I hit the deductible. With the cost of healthcare, we'll be doing the same type of plan for 2026. Financially, we're in an OK place to keep doing this. Each year, we eventually hit our deductible and can do any medical things that we want to later in the year. Unfortunately (but understandably), my therapist is no longer going to be taking insurance next year. Logically, I cannot justify paying almost $10,000 out-of-pocket for an out-of-network provider, but I'm really struggling to say this out loud and finalize the decision. I don't want to start over with someone else or encounter more people who aren't helpful! How do I make this decision? How do I say goodbye to someone who's been so vital in my growth in the last two years? How do I get over the sense of impending loss? I still have until the end of the year with her, but thinking about it all gives me anxiety."
The writer found a transformative therapist after earlier poor matches and experienced substantial personal growth over two years. The writer and partner use a high-deductible health plan and pay out of pocket until the deductible is met each year. The therapist will stop accepting insurance next year, creating a potential nearly $10,000 annual out-of-pocket expense that the writer cannot justify. The writer fears starting over with a new therapist and anticipates intense feelings of loss and anxiety about ending the relationship. The reply acknowledges the difficulty of letting go and suggests discussing closure options with the therapist.
Read at Slate Magazine
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