Do You Need A Referral To See A Therapist?

The process of initiating therapy can seem daunting. If you have never sought mental health care before, you may feel overwhelmed or intimidated at the thought of reaching out to a therapist. You may wonder where to even start looking for a provider. If you find a therapist you like, you might want to know what’s next in the process. Finally, you might inquire about whether to talk to your doctor to get a referral to see a therapist, the way you may need to do for other health specialists.  

Referrals and health insurance

Due to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA), insurance plans are required to cover mental health conditions in the same way they would provide coverage for physical health conditions. Health insurance plans must legally comply with the ACA and the MHPAEA if they are offered through the public federal health insurance exchange marketplace, through a person’s employer, through most forms of Medicaid, and through the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). So, odds are, your health insurance company must provide coverage for mental health care. 

However, many health insurance companies may require clients to receive a formal diagnosis of a mental health condition and be referred to therapy for that condition before they agree to cover therapy services. Your primary care provider may be able to diagnose a mental health condition based on your symptoms, or they may refer you to a therapist for a diagnosis. Many primary care physicians are not specifically trained in mental health care. Thus, a lack of expertise combined with the fact that many mental health conditions require multiple visits for a diagnosis may prompt your doctor to give you a referral.

If you have a diagnosed mental health condition or your primary care doctor has referred you to a therapist for a diagnosis, your health insurance may be more likely to cover your therapeutic treatment. In these instances, referrals may save you quite a bit of money. Consider reaching out to your insurance company yourself to talk to them about your coverage and to confirm that you’ve found a provider within your network. 

Types of therapists

While many therapists can be reached without a referral, there are some kinds of therapists for whom a referral may be helpful or even necessary. It can be beneficial to have a basic understanding of some of the different types of therapists and the forms of treatment they provide. A therapist’s education level can sometimes be useful to determine whether a referral is necessary.

Therapists with master's degrees

Most states require mental health professionals to earn both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree to qualify for a mental health care license. Many therapists fall into this category, including those in the following specialty areas:

• Licensed mental health counselors (LMHCs) or licensed professional counselors (LPCs): LMHCs and LPCs may fall into the “general practitioner” role within the therapeutic community, but they might also have educational backgrounds in certain specialty areas such as trauma treatment or addiction medicine, for instance. 
• Licensed marriage and family therapists (LMFTs): LMFTs typically work with clients on challenges they are experiencing with family members or romantic partners. LMFTs can meet with clients individually to address their interpersonal concerns, or they may facilitate couples therapy or family therapy. LMFTs might also specialize in certain areas within relationship counseling such as sex therapy or divorce counseling, for example. 
• Licensed clinical social workers (LCSWs): Licensed clinical social workers work not only to provide their clients with therapeutic services but also to connect them to social support service networks. LCSWs often serve clients with needs beyond mental health care such as those who are experiencing financial challenges or having difficulty providing adequate care for their children. LCSWs typically manage a caseload of clients, providing referrals to support systems and resources in the local community as needed.

If the therapist you are hoping to connect with falls into any of the categories listed above, you won’t likely need a referral to see them. Still, a referral may help with availing insurance coverage for your treatment.

Therapists with doctoral degrees

In addition to bachelor’s degrees and master’s degrees, some therapists may also hold doctoral degrees (i.e., Ph.Ds., or Psy.Ds.). Mental health care professionals with a doctorate in psychology or a related mental health field are usually referred to as psychologists.

Some psychologists may focus primarily on conducting psychology and mental health research, not on providing therapeutic care. Other psychologists may provide therapy services to clients. You typically do not need a referral to see a psychologist, but they might have longer waiting lists than other types of therapists. Thus, a referral could be a useful tool to help you get care from a psychologist sooner than you would without one. Psychologists may also charge higher fees than other kinds of therapists, so seeking insurance coverage through a referral could be beneficial.

Therapists with medical degrees

Mental health professionals with an M.D. (Medical Doctor) or D.O. (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine) degree are psychiatrists. Psychiatrists are the only mental health professionals who can prescribe psychiatric medication such as antidepressants or benzodiazepines, for example. 

In more recent years, the field of psychiatry has shifted away from providing talk therapy services and more toward focusing on medical interventions in mental health care. Some psychiatrists still provide therapy, but they are rare. It may be helpful for you to see a psychiatrist for medication management in addition to regularly talking to a therapist who can provide you with mental and emotional support. 

It is likely that you will need a referral to see a psychiatrist. Your primary care physician may refer you, or you can receive a referral from another therapist or mental health professional. 

Initiating the therapeutic process

Therapy can be beneficial for a range of people and for a variety of reasons. You do not need to have a diagnosed mental health condition to go to therapy or to receive a referral to see a therapist (though it may be required if you are hoping to see a psychiatrist or other specialized professional). 

Therapy can be time-consuming, though, especially if you are attending therapy sessions in person. It can also be difficult to find a provider you connect well with through in-person services. If you are not planning to use a referral to find a therapist, you may want to consider online therapy. Through online platforms like BetterHelp, you can get matched with a licensed therapist who has experience in the area of care you’re seeking. Using a smart device and a steady internet connection, you can speak with your therapist according to your schedule through video chats, phone calls, or in-app messaging. This may make getting the care you need more available and could also be more cost-effective. 

Research has demonstrated that therapy online can lead to similar outcomes as attending therapy sessions in person. One study found that participating in a course of online cognitive behavioral therapy reduced mental health symptoms in individuals with a variety of different mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), mood disorders, and more. CBT is an approach that addresses unwanted behaviors by helping a person identify and change their unhelpful thoughts. If you are interested in convenient therapy with no referral required, consider reaching out to one of the thousands of licensed and accredited mental health professionals available through BetterHelp.