As we reflect on the pandemic, it is important to recognize the toll the last year and a half have taken not only on our physical health, but also our mental health. The isolation, anxiety and uncertainty that Covid-19 has caused can be incredibly detrimental to one’s well being.

NYU Abu Dhabi students are privileged to have access to multiple counseling options for working through these challenges. The NYUAD Health Center has several counselors and a psychiatrist on staff and Oman Insurance allows students to consult with other providers within the UAE.

An option students may not have explored regarding their mental health care though are the teleservices covered by GeoBlue insurance, granting students medical access beyond the NYU Global Sites. Students have access to a global range of medical providers with GeoBlue insurance for both in-person and remote appointments, including counselors, therapists and psychologists.

I personally benefited immensely from GeoBlue’s mental health services during the pandemic, finding a provider who perfectly fit my preferences and needs. Being able to work with her while she was based in London and I was studying on campus in Abu Dhabi was a gift. For those interested in starting their mental health journeys, or simply looking for a new provider, I want to share information based on my personal experience that can help you make the most of the GeoBlue network.

There are many different therapy approaches, but they can primarily be consolidated into four categories: psychodynamic, behavioral, cognitive behavioral and humanistic.

Psychodynamic therapy focuses on understanding the connection between your unconscious psyche and your actions, often centering on analyzing thought patterns and emotional responses.

Behavioral therapy is more action-oriented. Rather than focusing on underlying reasons for certain behaviors or emotional responses, it centers around changing negative behaviors and reactions. This can include implementing relaxation techniques when around something you find frightening or anxiety inducing, or training your mind to associate certain behaviors with unpleasant feelings in order to make you more averse to them.

Cognitive behavioral therapy adds another layer to behavioral therapy by analyzing thought patterns. It focuses not only on changing negative behaviors and reactions, but simultaneously examines which feelings or beliefs might lead to those negative behaviors and reactions.

Humanistic therapy looks outward, considering how your life experiences and worldview affect your wellbeing and behaviors. It helps patients understand and validate their experiences and work toward growth and self acceptance.

If you are not sure where to start, visiting a counselor at the NYUAD Health Center is a great way to explore your needs. I personally worked with a counselor there for a short period of time just identifying my preferences and areas of concern before looking elsewhere for something specifically tailored to my needs.

Once you have identified a form of therapy that you think is best suited to you, you can start searching for a provider. There are many providers with different specialties already affiliated with GeoBlue, which can be found by visiting the Member Hub of their website or on their mobile app. It may be very daunting to look for a potential provider. Scrolling through a list of names and photos sometimes starts to feel like using a dating app, swiping “yes” or “no” based on limited information.

Luckily, the search can be narrowed down pretty quickly. There are a few things to take into consideration, especially for teletherapy. What type of therapy do they use? What timezone is the provider in and is it reasonably close to yours? In what language would you like your sessions to be conducted? What age group does the provider usually work with? What gender or age are you most comfortable working with? Do you want a provider from the same cultural or religious background as you? Are there specific issues you’re dealing with (such as eating disorders, self-esteem, substance abuse, trauma) that you want the provider to specialize in?

Once you’ve narrowed the list to a handful of people, you can then reach out and ask for a phone or Zoom consultation appointment. Most providers are happy to have a quick 15 to 30 minute session, free of charge, to discuss their approach and give you a chance to interact with them before committing to working with them.

If you can’t find someone who is the right fit on the list of GeoBlue providers, you can find a therapist or counselor outside the GeoBlue network and then request direct payment coverage. Direct payment means that your provider would send your bill directly to GeoBlue, allowing you to avoid paying anything or dealing with complicated reimbursements.

If the provider you select is within GeoBlue’s network, this process is very easy. Using the Member Hub or mobile app, you can simply choose “request direct pay” and complete the necessary information.

If the provider you select is not affiliated with GeoBlue, there are a few more steps involved. They have an email for inquiries, though the most efficient way to go about this process is to call their helpline.

If you are in the United States when calling, you can use the number 1-800-257-4823. If you are calling from outside the United States, you can use the number +1-610-254-8771. Note that this number is a collect call, so you will not be charged for international fees. If you are unable to dial this number on your plan and are on campus, you can use the landline phone located in the main lounge of building A6B.

When you call, explain that you have found a provider outside the network who would like to set up a direct payment with GeoBlue for your services. The GeoBlue representative will email you a form for this asking for your provider’s billing and contact information. Once you send this back to GeoBlue, they will send you a guarantee of payment, including a description of how many sessions will be covered per billing cycle.

Once you start regular sessions with a provider, it’s important to remember that you do not have to stay there. If after a few sessions you’re not feeling comfortable or satisfied with the course of treatment, you can express that and move on to another provider. Your mental health is in your hands and you deserve to protect and nurture it in a safe and comfortable environment. I have tried providers in the past who were either too kind to the point of coddling me, or, to the other extreme, being so blunt that it felt like I was being chastised. Finding someone who fits your personality and communication style will make it a much more enjoyable and productive experience.

I am someone who hates asking for help, so it took a long time for me to start the process of finding a therapist. I told myself that my problems weren’t serious enough to seek professional help or that I was being dramatic. I was lucky to have people around me to remind me that my mental health is just as valuable as anyone else’s and there is no universal benchmark for a serious enough problem. During the pandemic, we’ve all endured constant anxiety and tragedy, living in a constant state of grief for the “normal” lives we lost and the gift of protecting and nurturing our mental health is the greatest gift we can give ourselves.