Rationale for Treatment Plans

When beginning a new working relationship with a mental health care professional, (counselor, therapist, psychologist), people are often unclear about what brought them there, the purpose of the work in therapy, and goals for the future. One method mental health professionals use to help you both along this healing journey is to create and implement a treatment plan (therapy action plan). 

But what is a treatment plan?

Mental health professionals cannot work efficiently without a guide that allows them to assess your needs and strategize the methods they need to use to help you. Therefore, they will use a treatment plan. A treatment plan is a document outlining the proposed goals, action plan, and therapy methods to be used by you and your professional. This plan directs the steps the mental health professional, and you must take to help you heal and achieve your goals.

Treatment plans are either formalized or less structured depending on many factors, including:

The professional’s preferences. Some mental health professionals prefer informal treatment plans because they are more effective, but others prefer a more formal style and work in an orderly fashion. I prefer informal, broad, generalized treatment plans that include modules and plans for specific problems.

The severity of the problem. Mental health professionals must evaluate the severity of the presenting problem individually. For instance, one client may be dealing with minor depression and not need as an extensive plan as someone who has struggled with major depression for many years with little progress.

Insurance company requirements. Often insurance companies require documentation of your diagnosis and treatment to cover your care. This requirement is best met through a treatment plan. I will review any diagnosis I document for the insurance company with you, including how I arrived at the diagnosis.

Treatment plans are subject to change as the mental health professional you have chosen gets to know you and your treatment progresses. Since the treatment plan breaks down into steps addressing the things important to you, it is a fluid document, changing to match you and your therapist’s changing needs.