Exhale: A Blog for Women’s Mental & Emotional Health
Tricare, the health insurance program that provides coverage to active duty and retired military members, their families, and survivors, covers a variety of benefits, including mental health care. This includes online therapy, a great option for those who live in rural areas like Panama City or Ocala have schedules that don’t accommodate traditional in-person therapy, or military families who relocate often.
Motherhood can feel like a constant flood of stress, overwhelm and anxiety. With all the loud noises, never ending requests for help, constant touching, and overstimulating toys, being a mom in and of itself can cause extreme anxiety. When anxiety isn’t dealt with it can cause additional problems such as panic attack disorder, depression, and chronic stress.
What do you do as a mom with anxiety when feel like you’ve tried everything to cope with the anxiety on their own? Online therapy using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) methods has been proven as an effective way to combat anxiety and reduce stress.
For anyone not in the military, it may sound cliche when someone says, “When the service member serves in the military, the whole family serves.” But for those of us who are family members of an active-duty service member, we know that this saying actually rings true. As the spouse of a service member, we may not serve on the front lines, but we make lots of sacrifices in support of our spouses’ duties and responsibilities.
Deciding that you need to seek out someone to talk to about your mental and emotional well-being can feel like a big step. It can be challenging to admit to ourselves that we need help and support. When you finally decide it’s time to talk to someone, you are probably looking to begin therapy as soon as you possibly can. And thus, the search for an online therapist in your state begins.
If you are someone who has Tricare for health insurance, you know first-hand that navigating the world of Tricare can often be confusing and frustrating. While Tricare provides great benefits for military members and their dependents, it can be really annoying trying to figure out what Tricare will and will not cover – and this is speaking as someone who has Tricare and also takes Tricare insurance in their online therapy practice!
One of the most common questions that has been asked many times throughout the COVID-19 pandemic is “Does Tricare cover online therapy?” And here’s the answer: Yes!
Because of the impact of the global pandemic on our mental health, more and more people are reaching out for online therapy appointments. However, with such an increased need for counseling appointments, many therapists’ schedules are completely filled and they’re not able to accept any new clients. This can make it challenging for you if you are reaching out for counseling support but aren’t able to find a therapist who can fit you in. Here are three options to look at if you can’t find a therapist with an open appointment time.
While COVID-19 has brought online therapy to the forefront of counseling options, many people don’t realize that telehealth therapy has been around for many decades prior to the pandemic. As more people are beginning to get vaccinated and life starts to give some sense of normalcy, you may be wondering if you want to continue to meet with your therapist online or try a traditional office setting.
For most families, the summer months are a time of vacation and relaxed schedules. But in the world of military families, the summer months are known as “PCS season.” A Permanent Change of Station (PCS) is most definitely not a stress-free time. Having PCS’d several times – and being currently neck-deep in the midst of one! – I know first-hand the amount of overwhelm, exhaustion, and anxiety that can come from a military move.
For over a year, we have been told that we need to stay apart, that in order to protect ourselves and our loved ones, we need to stay home, stay apart, and stay masked up. These protective steps have been vital in trying to slow the spread of COVID-19. But they’ve created a sense of chronic hypervigilance that can lead to anxiety.
Choosing to reach out to a therapist can be a really hard thing to do. When you’re at the point of seeking counseling, it’s often when you are not feeling your best. You may be experiencing anxiety after having a brand new baby, deep sadness after the loss of a friend, or a sense of emptiness due to ongoing life transitions and changes. Taking the step to reach out to a therapist and say, “I need help” is an amazing first step toward caring for your mental and emotional health. But, when you live in a small town, it can be hard to find the mental health support you are looking for in your area. Online therapy is an amazing option for women with anxiety in rural Louisiana.
So many moms are still having to wear all the hats (work hat, chef hat, educator hat, etc.), while also navigating the numerous challenges COVID-19 brings to daily life. Many of us are experiencing COVID fatigue and feeling burnt out from parenting during a pandemic. And let me validate those feelings: This burnout is real.
One health care benefit that’s often misunderstood is behavioral and mental health services. Especially Tricare coverage for those services when you access them online. Having access to emotional support is very important for military spouses. Military life has constant ups and downs and can take a real toll on your emotional well-being. Talking with a therapist can help you learn how to cope with whatever you are facing. And online therapy provides women, especially military spouses, the support they need to thrive.
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