NVision You Holistic Psychotherapy Services

09/17/2024

This article about Ravi Coutinho's inability to find a therapist hit me in the most awful way. Devastation tears and outrage. The system is broken. It doesn't have to be this way! But until larger systems can work together to lead with the heart and make some serious fixes, here is a guideline put out by ProPublica on what you can do to find a therapist. It's not a guarantee, but it's a path: https://www.propublica.org/article/how-to-find-in-network-mental-health-provider?fbclid=IwY2xjawFWuvdleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHSIkGHe2Y3UDJ221PSw0aMtStGislbrRKQ6B1GSB06U-ZVguBs1Femr9fA_aem_LFDsExHmc46sHFP7Y2DmzQ

Most therapists in IL who take insurance accept BCBS PPO. The other insurance plans are iffy. That's because they don't pay well (like, at all!) and/or they are too risky to work with due to details and clawbacks (i.e., they take money back oftentimes for made up reasons - especially United Healthcare / Optum).

At our practice, NVision You Holistic Psychotherapy Services, we have immediate availability or can call around to see if colleagues can see you. Insurance is a real consideration. We take BCBS PPO and Aetna. Our therapists work with individuals and couples, teens and adults. And we have both in-person and virtual availability, during the day, evenings, and weekends. If you or someone you know is looking for a reliable and caring therapist, call us or visit us: (312) 955-1212 / NVisionYou.com/contact

Ravi Coutinho needed mental health and addiction care. Getting it through his insurance network was nearly impossible. He texted his friends:

“Therapists have been 0-4.”

“Called ten places and nothing.”

“The insurance portal doesn’t know sh*t.”

👉 Read the full story: https://propub.li/4giizL0

09/16/2024

Hi! NVision You has downtown OFFICE SPACE to sublease at 1 E. Wacker Dr., which is conveniently right off the Lake/State el stop and across the street from the Chicago River! Renting by the day or for as a full-time office in our beautiful space and newly renovated Class A building. You can learn more details here:

Looking to sublease a comfortable office in downtown Chicago? Perfect for therapists, psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, dietitians, naturopathic doctors, holistic healers, lawyers, and other professionals. NVision You offers flexible subleasing options for your needs. Our page provides information

09/16/2024

Hispanic Heritage Month not only celebrates the beauty of Latine culture but also the importance of mental health and self-care. Therapy can be a powerful tool for individuals of Hispanic and Latine heritage to address challenges like acculturation stress, generational trauma, and family ties. Read on to learn more!

Hispanic Heritage Month not only celebrates the beauty of Latine culture but also the importance of mental health and self-care. Therapy can be a powerful tool for individuals of Hispanic and Latine heritage to address challenges like acculturation stress, generational trauma, and family ties. Read

09/09/2024

NVision You's therapists aren't shy to acknowledge and ask how race, ethnicity, gender birth and identity, sexual identity and orientation, financial upbringing and circumstances, religious beliefs, family immigration history, and family culture have influenced who and why you are. Reach out if you'd like to gain greater insight and power in your life. hello@nvisionyou.com

I recently came across a chapter I wrote for the 2004 book "Voices of Color: First-Person Accounts of Ethnic Minority Therapists" (edited by Dr. Mudita Rastogi, and Dr. Elizabeth Wieling). Although it’s been 20 years since its publication, the chapter still holds relevance, offering insight for both therapists and individuals as we continue to reflect on how we view the world and ourselves.

The chapter, titled "Emerging Identity: An Asian Indian Female Psychologist's Perspective" ( https://bit.ly/3AUeNaF ) shared my personal story of growing up as a brown-skinned Indian American in a predominantly white Chicago suburb. I wrote about the bullying I endured and the harmful messages I internalized about my self-worth as someone with brown skin. It wasn’t until graduate school that I encountered the concept of “internalized racism” and realized how it had shaped not only how I saw myself but also how I viewed others with brown and Black skin.

Writing about these experiences was intensely vulnerable. I feared judgment and rejection, believing others would look down on me for exposing my struggles. But instead, I was met with overwhelming support from fellow therapists in the community.

I’m grateful that today we are able to more openly discuss the intricate web of biases and "isms" we’ve internalized, both personally and as a society. These biases are shaped by the explicit and implicit messages we receive, the observations we make, and the systemic barriers that continue to limit access to care and opportunities. They also influence how we determine who is "deserving" of such care and opportunities.

Here are some questions for reflection:
- How do you identify yourself in terms of race and skin color? How do you feel about that identity?
- How do you think others perceive you? What leads you to those conclusions, and how does it impact you?
- How do you perceive and interact with people who are similar to you? What about those who are different from you?
- Observe how others move through the world. How do they carry themselves? How do others respond to them? How do you respond, either directly or internally?
- What steps can you take, both systemically and interpersonally, to help brown and Black people gain access to care and respect?

We can do better! Actively engaging in these reflections and actions doesn't just serve to advance others, but serves to expand ourselves.

09/03/2024

The transition from summer into fall often brings with it a mix of renewed focus and motivation, but also feelings of stress, dread, anxiety, and even grief. Check out our latest article to learn about some things you can do to smoothly experience the change in the seasons. - Navigating the Emotional Shifts of Seasonal Transitions: How to Cope as Summer Fades Into Fall

The transition from summer into fall often brings with it a mix of renewed focus and motivation, but also feelings of stress, dread, anxiety, and even grief. Here are some things you can do to smoothly transition from summer into fall.

08/28/2024

Here's a second article in the series confronting insurance companies' for-profit practices under the guise of health care, published yesterday by NPR and ProPublica. "What Mental Health Protections Exist In Your State?" - https://www.propublica.org/article/mental-health-wiltn-states

We pay for health insurance, but health insurance doesn't want to pay for us...the patients and the providers.

It can be really hard to get mental health care in the U.S. Even if you find a therapist in network, your insurer can refuse to cover the prescribed treatment. Here are the laws protecting patients.

08/27/2024

inseparable put out a Call to Action to donate money and fight insurance power abuse. - https://bit.ly/3XksV5D

On Sunday, ProPublica and NPR co-published an insightful and revealing investigative feature, Why I Left the Network ( https://bit.ly/3Z4sMoi ), about predatory insurer practices that push mental health providers out and leave patients without access to critical care.

I’m not exaggerating when I say everyone in America should read this piece. It’s a beautiful account that tells very human stories of providers who wanted to support better mental health in their communities but came up against the ugly side of insurers in the process.

ProPublica’s findings are staggering. Of the hundreds of providers interviewed across the country who left insurance networks, 44 left after insurers questioned the necessity of treatment and interfered with patient care, more than 100 left after getting tangled in red tape and dysfunction, and more than 130 left after navigating low reimbursement rates and financial unsustainability.

Insurance interference, mismanagement, and red tape have grave and dangerous consequences. One provider from Oregon, Melissa Todd, shared with ProPublica that UnitedHealthcare questioned whether therapy was necessary for a patient in crisis and ultimately demanded a date when therapy would end — meanwhile, the patient told ProPublica that she was giving Todd near-daily updates just so she could survive. Luckily, this patient was able to pay for sessions once Todd left the network, but millions of Americans who struggle to access care don’t have the financial means to do so.

"WHY I LEFT THE NETWORK" ( https://bit.ly/3Z4sMoi )
This piece is the first in a series on access to mental health care. I had the pleasure of speaking with ProPublica’ about many of the insurer issues addressed in the article. I think you’ll agree this reporting is thoughtful and incisive. These are the kinds of stories that we, as advocates, know all too well; it’s so important for the American public to know them too.

We desperately need to hold insurance companies accountable, and education and awareness like this is the first step. Monika, can you share Why I Left the Network with your friends and family, and on social media to spread the word?

Thank you,

David Lloyd
Chief Policy Officer

Those who need therapy often have to pay out of pocket or go without care, even if they have health insurance. Hundreds of mental health providers told us they fled networks because insurers made their jobs impossible and their lives miserable.

08/27/2024

We're committed to helping clients use their health insurance for therapy services because we know that mental health IS HEALTH, and isn't that what health insurance is for? However, far too many insurance companies exploit both patients and providers, especially when it comes to mental health. And Optum (aka, United Healthcare) is the most egregious of them all. Our owner, Monika Sharma, Psychologist, shared her story with ProPublica about why she made the decision for NVision You to leave the United Healthcare panel.

Sadly, our healthcare system has become more about a healthy profit than healthy people, especially for the corporations who now run the show. NPR partnered with ProPublica to report on this further. - https://bit.ly/3Moc6Rc

NVision You accepts BCBS PPO (which includes Anthem), Blue Choice, and Aetna PPO plans. Learn more about our team and availability at NVisionYou.com.

Those who need therapy often have to pay out of pocket or go without care, even if they have health insurance. Hundreds of mental health providers told us they fled networks because insurers made their jobs impossible and their lives miserable.

08/14/2024

Check out our latest article about art therapy. What is art therapy? Art therapy is a form of psychotherapy that uses the creative process of making art to improve a person’s physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Unlike traditional talk therapy, art therapy provides a non-verbal way to express thoughts and feelings, which can be particularly beneficial for those who find it difficult to articulate their emotions or experiences in words. Interested in art therapy for yourself or someone you know? Contact us today!

Art therapy is a form of psychotherapy that uses the creative process of making art to improve a person’s physical, mental, and emotional well-being. There is no judgment about the outcome; instead, the focus is on what the creative process reveals, lending to greater insight, connection, and heal...

07/30/2024

NVision You is excited to introduce you to Stephanie Vana, MA, ATR-P (they/she). Stephanie recently joined our holistic psychotherapy practice in downtown Chicago.

Stephanie graduated from Adler University's MA counseling program in 2023 and is a provisional art therapist. They specialize in grief and anxiety, and integrate both talk therapy and art therapy in their work. They also work with issues of depression, panic disorders, trauma & recovery, and identity exploration (cultural, sexual, and gender-oriented).

Oftentimes, clients lack the words, permission, and connection to understand what they are feeling and thinking. Art therapy is beneficial in that it bypasses words and taps into the creative, non-linear right side of the brain to better appreciate what a client is experiencing and needing. This approach works well with clients who've experienced trauma, loss, chronic pain, panic disorders, and OCD.

Stephanie identifies as culturally mixed with LatinX and European roots and is fluent in Spanish. They are also aligned with the LGBTQIA+ community and identify as non-binary.

Stephanie sees clients both in the office and virtually. They work with older teens and adults of all ages, and accept BCBS PPO and Aetna. They are accepting new clients at this time and are available for brief consultation calls with referring professionals and clients who’d like to know more about them before booking an appointment.

To schedule an appointment or get in touch, potential clients can visit us online (nvisionyou.com),

We hope you’ll keep us in mind as a caring place for those of you who are seeking therapy.

05/17/2024

NVision You is seeking LCSW's to join our growing practice! We need a licensed clinical social worker to balance psychotherapy with supervision activities as needed. Additionally, there may be some opportunities for outreach and consultation.

To learn more about our company and benefits, visit us at: https://lnkd.in/gvUERCeu

To apply, email: Monika@NVisionYou.com

05/09/2024

Mother's Day is around the corner, and it can be a day to celebrate one of the most important women in your life. But it's just as likely for many people to stir up complicated emotions that may include anger, sadness, grief, resentment, and guilt. Read our most recent article on how to navigate your complicated relationship with your mom this Mother's Day.

While societal narratives often paint mother-child relationships as inherently loving and nurturing, the reality for many is far more complicated.