Is Brainspotting Therapy in Illinois Covered by Insurance?

Brainspotting may be used during a covered therapy session at Walk With Me Counseling Center. We accept Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO, Aetna PPO, and Blue Cross Community Health Plans (Illinois Medicaid). Brainspotting isn't billed as its own separate service, so when your therapist uses it as part of your treatment, the psychotherapy session is billed through your insurance benefits.

• What Brainspotting Actually Is

• Is Brainspotting Covered by My Insurance?

• How Do I Find a Brainspotting Therapist in Illinois?

• How Online Brainspotting Sessions Work

• Getting Started

• FAQ

What Brainspotting Actually Is

Brainspotting is a therapy approach that uses where you look, what you notice in your body, and your connection with your therapist to help you process difficult emotions and experiences. Your therapist helps you find an eye position connected to what you're noticing, then guides you through the process from there.

It was developed by David Grand, a psychotherapist who trained in EMDR before creating his own approach in 2003.

Research on Brainspotting is still growing. It has a smaller research base than treatments that have been studied for much longer, such as EMDR.

Is Brainspotting Covered by My Insurance?

Brainspotting can be used as part of an insurance-covered therapy session. At Walk With Me, we accept Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO, Aetna PPO, and Blue Cross Community Health Plans (Illinois Medicaid). We verify your specific benefits before your free consultation, so you know your expected cost going in.

Here's the part that trips people up: Brainspotting doesn't have its own billing code. It's one approach your therapist may use during a psychotherapy session. So when your therapist uses Brainspotting during a covered session, that session is billed like any other therapy appointment.

How Do I Find a Brainspotting Therapist in Illinois?

Finding a therapist who offers Brainspotting already narrows your options. Finding someone who also offers culturally responsive care can narrow them even more. Not every therapist who offers trauma treatment is trained in Brainspotting, and not every Brainspotting therapist offers the culturally responsive care you may be looking for.

Walk With Me Counseling Center is a Black-owned virtual therapy practice, and both therapists certified in Brainspotting on our team are Black women. Our Brainspotting providers also offer culturally responsive care. That means culture, identity, family, relationships, and lived experience don't have to be treated as separate from the work you're doing in therapy.

How Online Brainspotting Sessions Work

Sessions happen over secure video. Your therapist guides you through the process while paying attention to what you're noticing emotionally and physically. You don't necessarily have to describe every detail of what happened for your therapist to work with you.

For privacy, find a quiet place where you feel comfortable talking. You'll also need a phone, tablet, or computer with a reliable internet connection. Because our therapists practice in Illinois, you'll need to be physically located in Illinois during your session.

Getting Started

Schedule your free 15-minute consultation, and we verify your insurance benefits before you meet with anyone. During the consultation, we talk about what you're looking for and match you with the right therapist on the team, no forms beforehand, no commitment.

FAQ

• Is Brainspotting covered by insurance in Illinois?

  Brainspotting can be used as part of an insurance-covered therapy session. At Walk With Me, we accept Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO, Aetna PPO, and Blue Cross Community Health Plans (Illinois Medicaid). We verify your specific benefits before your free consultation.

• Does insurance cover Brainspotting?

  Insurance typically pays for the psychotherapy session rather than Brainspotting as a separate service. At Walk With Me, Brainspotting may be used during covered therapy sessions with participating providers. We accept BCBS PPO, Aetna PPO, and BCCHP, and we verify your specific benefits before your free consultation.

• Does BCBS cover Brainspotting therapy?

  Brainspotting isn't billed separately at Walk With Me. If your therapist uses Brainspotting during a covered psychotherapy session, that session is billed through your BCBS PPO benefits.

• Does Aetna cover Brainspotting therapy?

  Brainspotting isn't billed separately at Walk With Me. If your therapist uses Brainspotting during a covered psychotherapy session, that session is billed through your Aetna PPO benefits.

• Can I use BCCHP for therapy that includes Brainspotting?

  Yes. Walk With Me accepts Blue Cross Community Health Plans (BCCHP). Brainspotting isn't billed separately. If your therapist uses Brainspotting during a covered psychotherapy session, that session is billed through your BCCHP benefits.

• Why is Brainspotting covered the same as regular therapy sessions?

  Because there's no separate billing category for it. It's part of how your therapist works with you, so it follows the same coverage rules as everything else in your session.

• Is there a therapist in Illinois who does Brainspotting and understands my background?

  Yes. Both Brainspotting-certified therapists at Walk With Me are Black women.

• Do I have to talk about my trauma in detail during Brainspotting?

  You may not need to describe every detail of a difficult experience. Brainspotting can involve less talking than some forms of therapy, but your therapist works with you based on your needs, comfort, and goals.

• Is Walk With Me currently accepting new Brainspotting clients?

  Yes. Which therapist has room can shift week to week, so a free consultation is the fastest way to see what's open right now.

Ready to Find Out What's Available to You?

We verify your insurance benefits before your free 15-minute consultation. From there, we'll talk about what you're looking for and find the right therapist match for you.

If you're in crisis or need help right now, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or go to your nearest emergency room. Walk With Me Counseling Center provides ongoing therapy, not emergency or crisis services.