PsiAN Update: Fall/Winter 2025

By Linda Michaels PsyD, MBA 

Here is the latest update on the initiatives, petitions, tools, media mentions, and original research from Psychotherapy Action Network.

7 Cups

In April, Psychotherapy Action Network joined with the Clinical Social Work Association (CSWA) to raise the alarm about a company called 7 Cups of Tea that has been using therapists’ online data, without our consent or any compensation, to draw business to their website. That would be bad enough on its own, but to make matters worse, 7 Cups also creates confusion for therapy consumers by advertising access to licensed mental health clinicians as well as “listeners,” who appear to be volunteers with no clinical training. While this type of peer support may have value, it must be clearly distinguished from therapy with a licensed professional. Marketing therapists and “listeners” on the same website is misleading, and throws up extra hurdles for those in need of high-quality mental health care.

In August, we started a petition with a few straightforward requests to protect our practices, as well as consumers. To date we’ve collected about 1,000 signatures, and it’s not too late to add your voice.

Lastly, here is a short list of recommended steps you can take to ensure that 7 Cups removes your information, and to file complaints with state and national organizations about their deceptive business practices.

Troubling News About Parity, and PsiAN’s Response

In May, we alerted our members to some concerning news: the Trump Administration announced a plan to pause all litigation regarding mental health parity violations, and issued a non-enforcement policy. This change undermines years of work to protect mental health parity, but it does not repeal the original legislation from 2008. We are saddened and alarmed by this news, but we’re continuing to advocate for mental health parity with all the resources at our disposal. We encourage clinicians to continue pushing for enforcement at the state level, as many states have their own parity laws, and to keep documenting and reporting violations.

PsiAN’s New Insurance Hub

To document those issues and to help support clinicians and their patients in dealing with insurers, PsiAN launched an Insurance Hub on its website. The Hub consists of our Insurance Guide and Insurance Issue Tracker.

Our Insurance Guide includes step-by-step instructions to assist therapists and patients who are dealing with insurance denials, requests for information, clawbacks, etc.

The Insurance Issue Tracker is a new tool to document insurance issues, such as pre-payment reviews, invasive audits, denials, and clawbacks. Data is power, and if collectively we can document these issues, we will be in a better position to advocate for change. With your help, we hope to identify patterns and trends that can inform our advocacy.

Therefore, whenever you experience an insurance-related issue, please take a few minutes to fill out the Tracker. Now that the federal government is stepping back from its role in enforcing the laws around mental health coverage, our grassroots efforts matter more than ever. We invite you to stand with us by sharing your experiences.

Advocacy in the Media

PsiAN has continued to make our voice heard about threats to therapies of depth. In May, The American Psychoanalyst (TAP) published an article by Linda Michaels (PsiAN Chair and Co-Founder) highlighting the ways that private equity has its sights trained on mental healthcare. We should all be concerned about how venture capitalists that don’t share our values are increasingly trying to make money off our work. “Corporations in the Consulting Room” is an urgent reminder of what we’re up against, what to look out for, and the implications of these companies being fueled by values that are counter to psychoanalytic ones.

PsiAN also offered a critical response to a study about an AI Chatbot that seemed a little too good to be true. Linda Michaels’ trenchant letter to the editor was published in MindSiteNews, casting doubt on a recent study which touted the effectiveness of “Therabot.” For starters, the study was conducted by the same person who developed Therabot – a clear conflict of interest – and that’s not the only problem that Michaels found. At PsiAN, we acknowledge that technology is a growing presence in mental health care, but we’ll continue to insist that AI only be used in ways that enhance and support quality patient care, rather than devaluing the human relationships that make healing possible.

Lastly, we’re delighted that Governor J.B. Pritzker of Illinois signed into law a bill prohibiting the use of artificial intelligence to provide mental health and therapeutic decision-making. PsiAN offered a timely response when Linda Michaels was quoted in MindSiteNews, expressing her support for the new law.

New Research About Practice Management Companies (PMCs)

By now, many therapists have heard of newer companies like Headway or Alma that offer help with managing therapy practices, but the true nature of these companies had been unclear to PsiAN. In March, PsiAN launched a survey to study therapists’ experiences with Practice Management Companies, such as Headway, Alma, Rula, and Grow Therapy. Nearly 700 therapists responded and shared experiences and concerns about PMCs.

Several key findings emerged in the data: first, most therapists are troubled that these platforms don’t adequately protect confidentiality. Second, management clients don’t know these PMCs are owned by same health insurance companies that therapists are already struggling with, raising questions about whether PMCs can be effective negotiators with payers. Last, while PMCs advertise obtaining higher reimbursement for therapists, 50% of therapists who have joined a PMC said their earnings are either the same as before or less. Here is the full report with detailed findings and practical advice for navigating PMCs.

PsIAN’s Newest Board Member

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Eric M. Plakun to the PsiAN Board of Directors. Dr. Plakun has already served PsiAN as an Advisor, and now brings his wealth of experience to a new position on the Board. Dr. Plakun’s long history of leading Austen Riggs and promoting psychotherapy, including as an expert in the Wit v. United Behavioral Health/Optum case, is a crucial asset for PsiAN as we continue our mission of increasing access to therapies of depth.

If you or your colleagues support PsiAN’s mission and want to help develop and implement our strategy, you may want to consider serving on PsiAN’s Board. If you are interested in exploring this opportunity, please email [email protected]. We’d be delighted to talk with you.

More in the Fall/Winter 2025 Edition