Empire BCBS Psychiatrists in NYC

Empire BCBS Psychiatrists in NYC Include Online Practices

Empire BCBS Psychiatrist in NYC

Are you insured with an Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield plan in NYC? Mental health services are in high demand right now, so you may be finding it difficult to book an appointment with a psychiatrist who is in-network with Empire BCBS; many psychiatric practices have long waiting lists to see new patients, and some are not accepting new patients at all. But you may not be aware that better online psychiatrists accept insurance plans. Skypiatrist , a telepsychiatry practice established in 2016, has psychiatrists and therapists who are in-network with Empire BCBS, Aetna, Cigna, Oscar, Oxford, and United/Optum, as well as with Medicare. Skypiatrist was designed to be an exclusively online service, and their methods were developed with virtual therapy in mind. Skypiatrist’s video chat platform is HIPAA-compliant and completely confidential; it doesn’t route through a server but connects the client’s device directly to the doctor’s computer. It can be easily accessed by anyone who has a smartphone, tablet, laptop, or desktop computer with a functioning video camera.

Is Online Therapy Effective?

One of the most important aspects of therapy is the relationship between the therapist and the client. In today’s world, we are accustomed to connecting via electronic devices: students learn from teachers, family members catch up on one another’s news, and work colleagues complete projects. A good online therapist knows how to make connections with their patients, and with a practice like Skypiatrist, clients always see the same doctor or therapist. A number of recent studies indicate that not only can online therapy be as effective as in-person therapy, but it is sometimes more effective. Patients who have anxiety, for example, may find it overwhelming to travel to a doctor’s office and back again, wait with strangers in the waiting room, deal with questions from the receptionist, etc. These clients may much prefer to access therapy from their own space, where they can be much more relaxed. Children and teenagers, too, often prefer online therapy to in-person visits. They are often fearful of new experiences or self-conscious about going to therapy, and much prefer the privacy and safety of tuning in from home. (You can often help children to feel more comfortable about therapy by setting up a corner of their bedroom especially for therapy sessions, perhaps with stuffed animals and special snacks.) And of course, when COVID-19 numbers climb, many people prefer not to risk being exposed to the virus. Online therapy has been shown effective for a range of illnesses, including anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, panic disorder, and specific phobias. It has also been found effective in working with patients with chronic ailments such as chronic fatigue syndrome.

Advantages of Online Therapy

There are many other advantages to online therapy. People who travel, for example, never have to miss a session; they can simply sign in from where they are. Online therapy saves clients a lot of time—we all know how long it can take to get somewhere when traffic is bad! And online services are much more likely to be able to match you with a psychiatrist quickly; Skypiatrist , for example, can usually schedule you in within a few days of first contact.

Consider online therapy: it may be right for you.