December 2007

1) Fast Help: Emotional Intelligence
2) Therapist Q&A: Understanding Health Insurance
3) Clinic Announcements

1) Fast Help: Emotional Intelligence

Emotional Intelligence has been defined as the extent to which a person is aware of his/her own thoughts and emotions and those of others. It also refers to an ability to manage our own emotions as well as the emotions of others in our relationships. Emotional Intelligence has received much attention since Daniel Goleman published his work on the topic in 1995. For many years, success potential had been estimated by one’s IQ (or Intelligence Quotient). However, research has shown that a high IQ didn’t always equal success in jobs and relationships. For example, one can have a high IQ but see life in terms of “black and white” (rigid thinking).

Rigidity can lead to problems in relationships and in the workplace if one is unable to see or respect others’ points of view. Consequently, this can lead to relationship or career strife, even among highly intelligent people. Being less rigid and possessing the ability to see the “gray area” in life circumstances can lead to greater satisfaction in relationships as others will feel you are able to understand them. Leaders of many successful corporations have cited this ability as a cornerstone to their success.

High EI can be quite an asset in many areas of life. You may recall an old saying “By understanding ourselves, we better understand others.” By understanding ourselves (i.e. Emotions and behavior), we can live happier and healthier lives. Life is not always easy, but with a healthy EI, you would be better able to cope with and adjust to life’s struggles and not take hardships personally. As a result, you are also better suited for success in relationships and careers because you understand others better. You also would have a better understanding of relationship struggles and greater ability to solve them due to understanding the origins of problems, and can thus differentiate your issues from those of others.

Some people believe that EI is an innate ability to understand ourselves and others. Others believe that our life histories are contributing factors. If you were raised in a home where feelings are not talked about or viewed as “scary,” you might have had the experience of shutting down or denying your own emotions. A person who was traumatized might have the experience of shutting down their emotions, because certain emotions evoke a reminder of the emotional pain they felt during or as a result of the traumatic experience. However, by talking through past hurts and painful experiences, one can achieve mastery of their emotions, and become more self-aware of his/her thoughts and emotions. One these are understood we can understand how they impact our behavior, either positively or negatively.
Below is a self-test that will help you rate your own emotional intelligence and find out what your EQ (Emotional Quotient is): self-test

If you feel that you would like help to better understand yourself and others, contact us today for a consultation. Counseling can assist you in understanding the roots of your thoughts, emotions and behavior. Change is an agent that comes from within, and by making positive changes within ourselves, we feel better as a result, and we can also make positive impacts on our relationships. You may even thank yourself later.

2) Therapist Q&A: Understanding Health Insurance

We are often asked for assistance from clients with understanding health insurance. With the New Year soon upon us, we thought we’d take the opportunity to explain some health insurance “jargon” to you.

As with any service, a health care provider charges a fee for their services. Clients will choose to either pay out of pocket for services or allow their insurance companies to cover some or all of the cost of services, depending on their insurance plan benefits. Below are a list of the many terms you may see or hear regarding insurance coverage:

Vendor: This is the insurance company who insures your policy. It is often offered through an employer or paid by an individual (individual policy)

Subscriber: This is the person who is the main policy holder. For example if coverage is offered through an employer, the policy holder is often the employee. Coverage is often extended to the spouse of the employee and family members/children.

Co-pay: This is the amount that the patient is required to pay a provider of service at each appointment. It is defined in the insurance policy. For example, the policy might state that the client pays $25 per session.

Deductible: This is the amount that the patient is required to pay a provider of service out-of-pocket beginning each new calendar year before the insurance company begins to pay. This amount is also specified in each policy.

In-network provider: This is a provider that has agreed to participate in an insurance network. The provider usually joins the network in order to provide a cost savings to the patient.

Out-of-network provider: A provider who is not participating in your network. Be careful to not immediately discount such a provider as you want to select a provider that can best treat your problem or issue. Also, many insurance companies offer coverage to out-of-network providers.

Third Party Payer: Many times insurance companies farm out coverage to a specific network. That agency then handles claims processing and reimburses the providers.

Calendar Year: This refers to the calendar start- and end-dates of the policy. In most cases it runs from January 1st through December 31st, but not in all cases.

We hope that this helps to bring some clarity to those who posed questions regarding coverage and the terms involved. We are always available to answer any questions you have. We always encourage clients to be aware of their coverage plan, whether it is consulting your insurance provider, your plan booklet, or human resource consultant. Below is a link to a more detailed explanation of health insurance terminology, provided by the bureau of labor statistics: health insurance terminology

If you have a question you'd like us to address in upcoming newsletters, please send your question to cpa@wi.rr.com. Your confidentiality will be maintained.

3) Clinic News

2008 Insurance Alert: Dear clients, Please bring your new insurance cards with you to your earliest appointment. At the beginning of each year, many people have insurance changes such as a different plan, a new mental health vendor, and new ID and group numbers. Your providing this information will assist us in staying current with your insurance information and for billing your services. Thank you for your cooperation.

We are accepting new clients at this time. If you know of anyone who you think would benefit from counseling or a consultation with us, please have him or her give us a call. We thank you in advance for any referrals you provide.