Quick Overview: Yes. A recommendation can be one starting point while you are also considering online therapy options. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) says that, if you are comfortable, asking a doctor, social worker, loved one, or friend you trust for a recommendation can help begin a search for mental-health or substance-use support. SAMHSA does not say that a recommendation identifies the right format, determines fit, or predicts an outcome. Online therapy options are a separate area to ask about directly with a practice.
Finding a health care professional or program can take work, according to SAMHSA. Its guidance recognizes that many types of support are available and suggests that speaking with more than one person may be helpful when seeking recommendations.
Recommendations Can Begin a Search
What SAMHSA Says About Asking Trusted People
SAMHSA states that a person may ask a doctor, social worker, loved one, or friend they trust whether that person knows health care professionals or programs for mental health or drug and alcohol use. SAMHSA describes this as often the easiest way to find an available health care professional or program.
A recommendation is one source of information in a search. SAMHSA also notes that talking with more than one person can be helpful because many types of support are available. This guidance does not establish whether a particular professional, program, or format will fit a specific person.
It also does not connect recommendations specifically to online therapy options. If online therapy is important in your search, that is a separate question to bring to a prospective practice.
Search Considerations Named by SAMHSA
SAMHSA suggests looking for treatment or support that accepts insurance or offers free or low-cost services, is taking new patients, has appointments or meetings that fit a person’s schedule, and includes qualities that are important to that person.
These are general search considerations. They do not describe what any particular practice offers. They also do not determine whether a professional or program will be a match for an individual reader.
Online Therapy Options and Outpatient Care
How SAMHSA Describes Outpatient Care
SAMHSA defines outpatient care as care in which a person has an appointment and leaves the same day. Its information states that outpatient programs can be in person or use telehealth. SAMHSA defines telehealth as care online or over the phone.
This description identifies forms that outpatient care can take. It does not say that every practice provides each form, and it does not answer which form will suit a particular person.
What NIMH Says About Care at a Distance
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) explains that telephones, the internet, and mobile devices have created opportunities for treatment at a distance, including in areas where mental-health professionals may not be physically available. NIMH describes some approaches as involving a therapist providing help at a distance.
NIMH also distinguishes those approaches from web-based programs and mobile apps designed to provide information and feedback without a therapist. Technology-based options therefore may not all involve the same type of support.
A prospective practice can answer questions about the access options it describes. The research notes do not establish that online, phone-based, or in-person care is better for a particular reader.
Questions to Help Organize Your Search
A Question-Based Reflection Table
| Area | Question to consider |
|---|---|
| Recommendation | What did the person sharing this recommendation tell me about the professional or program? |
| Services | Am I seeking information about individual therapy, couples therapy, group therapy, or therapy intensives? |
| Access | Do I want to ask whether a practice offers in-person care, virtual therapy, or another access option? |
| Priorities | Which qualities are important to me as I look for a professional or program? |
| Practical matters | Do I need to ask about insurance, free or low-cost services, scheduling, or whether new patients are being accepted? |
| Treatment information | What would I like to understand about how treatment would proceed? |
These questions are for organizing a search, not for deciding what care a person needs.
Questions to Bring to a Consultation
A consultation can provide an opportunity to ask questions and consider fit. Questions to bring may include:
- Which services does Rooted Integrative Therapy offer?
- Is in-person therapy available near Orem and Provo, and is virtual therapy available across Utah?
- What is the process for scheduling a consultation call?
- What information can you share about appointment requests?
- What approach might be used, and what is its rationale and evidence base?
NIMH states that therapists have different professional backgrounds and specialties. It also says that the approach a therapist uses depends on training and experience, the condition being treated, and the needs of the person receiving treatment. NIMH identifies a preliminary conversation as a way to understand how treatment will proceed and whether you feel comfortable with a therapist.
Questions About Costs and Coverage
NIMH’s therapist-finding information says that, when talking with a prospective therapist, people can ask about treatment fees, whether the therapist accepts insurance, and whether there is a sliding scale for fees according to income.
Those questions appear in NIMH’s guidance about finding a therapist. They are not statements about the fees, insurance participation, or payment options of Rooted Integrative Therapy or any other specific practice.
Rooted Integrative Therapy Information
Services and Access Described by the Practice
Rooted Integrative Therapy offers individual therapy, couples therapy, group therapy, and therapy intensives. Alina Hovsoyan, LCSW, provides in-person therapy near Orem and Provo, with virtual therapy across Utah.
These are practice-specific service and access details. They do not describe the content, structure, or results of therapy for any individual person.
Consultation and Contact Information
Rooted Integrative Therapy’s FAQs describe scheduling a consultation call as the first step, with an opportunity to ask questions and consider fit. The practice’s Connect page invites inquiries and appointment requests through its contact details or form.
Practice Note: A consultation call is described by Rooted Integrative Therapy as an opportunity to ask questions and consider fit. Questions about services, access, appointment requests, treatment approach, fees, or insurance can be raised directly with the practice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a recommendation be one starting point?
Yes. SAMHSA identifies asking trusted people for recommendations as one way to begin looking for support. SAMHSA also notes that talking with more than one person may be helpful because many types of support are available.
Does a recommendation answer whether online therapy is available?
No. SAMHSA’s recommendation guidance does not make that connection. Ask a prospective practice directly about the access options it offers.
What does telehealth mean in SAMHSA’s outpatient-care information?
SAMHSA defines telehealth as care online or over the phone. It states that outpatient programs can be in person or use telehealth.
Can technology enable care at a distance?
NIMH says that telephones, the internet, and mobile devices can create opportunities for treatment at a distance when a practitioner may not be physically nearby. This information does not determine what will fit a particular reader.
What can I ask during a Rooted Integrative Therapy consultation call?
The practice describes the call as an opportunity to ask questions and consider fit. You can ask about the services and access details the practice describes, along with other questions relevant to your search.
Sources and Further Reading
Sources used for this article:
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: Health Care Or Support
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: Types Of Treatment
- National Institute of Mental Health: Psychotherapies
A Grounded Next Step
If you would like to make an inquiry or request an appointment, Rooted Integrative Therapy’s Connect page provides contact details and a form. You may also review the practice’s FAQ information about scheduling a consultation call.
Please do not include urgent or highly sensitive clinical information in a general inquiry.
This article is for general education only. It is not a diagnosis, treatment plan, or substitute for individualized mental-health care. A qualified mental-health professional can help you consider what fits your circumstances.