Can I Go to Therapy as an International Student?
Yes - therapy can be for anyone and everyone who wants it! Even if you are away from your home country (although there is one immigration consideration explored below).
There can be a lot of emotions, culture shock, identity loss, tender self-esteem moments, pressure to perform well academically and socially, desire or disgust towards conformity, stress, loneliness, and anxiety when you’re an international student. All that on top of typical school work!
It makes so much sense to want a space to unpack, explore, process, and feel through whatever your experience.
One of the challenging parts can be navigating the rules of how to go about starting therapy as an international student.
The good news is there isn’t anything special you need to do to start that is different than anyone else. The major consideration is related to how long you’ll be abroad when you’re thinking about starting therapy.
Different states in the United States have different requirements for online therapy in terms of where the client and therapist both have to be in order for virtual sessions to take place.
The Orchard can see international students, from any country of origin, through telehealth (online therapy) who are currently residing in Washington state and only when they are in the state. This means that sessions would pause during trips back to your home country or other international travel, but can start up again once you return!
If you are a student in another state other than Washington, you may be able to continue seeing your therapist on trips home or over extended visits, but please check with your therapist to confirm their state’s rules.
The one particular immigration consideration is diagnosis and documentation during therapy.
There are certain countries - the United States included - that may flag applications with diagnoses that are associated with high medical costs, significantly impact their ability to work or support themselves, or could “pose a threat to the property, safety or welfare” of themselves or others, as well as documented harmful behavior (towards themselves or others) and behaviors related to substance use or abuse.
If you go to a therapist who accepts insurance, the therapist has to give you a diagnosis in order for you to receive therapy. While there are no set list of mental health diagnoses that are listed by immigration bodies in countries as barring entry, it is worth both you and your therapist being aware and considerate about the ways a diagnosis and the way the notes are written after session, that are submitted to the insurance companies in order for them to continue paying, may impact immigration possibilities. Thoughtful record keeping is very important for you as an international student and can be communicated to whomever you’re seeing as a requirement for working together.
For private practice therapists who don’t accept insurance in their practice, such as The Orchard, there is no requirement to diagnose in order to receive therapy and documentation is not being sent out to insurance companies.
Going to therapy, whether you use insurance or not, has been reported to not harm your immigration status or future applications. It typically factors into your favor! However you can seek advice from an immigration lawyer if you have any concerns.
With that consideration in mind, it’s important to remember that you deserve to care for your mental health and wellbeing while you’re abroad and there are therapists who are definitely able to work with you as international students!
Please use the contact form if you’re looking to begin therapy as an international student at The Orchard and schedule a consultation call for any questions you may have.
Dr. S