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Faith, Finances, and the Field
Kimberly M. Anderson, MA, LPCC, NCC, BCCC, is a Licensed Professional Counselor Candidate, National Certified Counselor, and Board Certified Christian Counselor based in Colorado Springs. She provides trauma-informed care to adults in both private practice and a nonprofit agency serving under-resourced communities. Kimberly integrates biblical justice, identity and worldview development, and holistic wellness into her clinical and academic work. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision at Denver Seminary, where her research explores counselor resilience, formational andragogy, and the integration of faith in mental health care.
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Why I Do Both Insurance and Cash-Pay Work An Early-career Counselor’s Response to Wichterman’s “Should Therapists Take Insurance?”
Beginning with Conviction (and a Lot of Hustle)
I opened my private practice during the final stretch of my Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree—driven by a deep commitment to biblical justice and accessible care. I wanted to offer high-quality counseling to under-resourced individuals, free from the constraints of managed care or diagnosis-first models.
Nearly every mentor I had said, “Don’t do it.” They weren’t wrong. But I had built and run businesses before, and I believed I could apply that same grit to clinical practice. So I did what many well-meaning, slightly overconfident early-career counselors have done: formed a PLLC, signed a lease, hired a supervisor, and started seeing clients—all cash pay.
Spoiler Alert: It Wasn’t Sustainable
Within six months, I was offering deep discounts, overworking, and trying to survive on what I like to call the “beans and rice plan.” All while putting myself through a PhD program. Eventually—out of both financial necessity and spiritual surrender—I moved into a small, finished basement suite in the home of some generous Christian friends. The rent was low. The grace was high. But I knew I needed a new approach.
A Strategic Pivot
Desperate, I prayed for God to show me a way and in time I began to see another path. I reached out to the director of a respected nonprofit counseling agency in town—one known for cultivating thoughtful clinicians and serving the margins with dignity. I wasn’t just looking for a paycheck; I was looking for a mission I could get behind.
I lobbied for a role and was welcomed onto the team.
At the agency, I see clients who use insurance, including Medicaid, as well as those who qualify for limited scholarships. My compensation is modest, but supervision, billing, referrals, and office space are all provided. More importantly, I get to do meaningful, clinically sound work with people who might not otherwise have access to care. It’s not flashy—but it’s faithful. And it makes sense of my calling.
Private Practice with Purpose
At the same time, I’ve continued building a private practice for clients who can afford cash-pay services and are looking for something different. What I offer there is something uniquely needed in today’s mental health landscape: evidence-based counseling that begins with a biblical worldview.
My clients aren’t asking for spiritual platitudes or rigid doctrine—they’re asking for therapy that takes their faith seriously while also helping them navigate anxiety, trauma, identity, and relational pain. They’re not looking to be “treated”; they’re looking to be understood. And they’re tired of choosing between a secular model that pathologizes their faith and a religious model that ignores their psychology.
Because I don’t bill insurance, I’m not bound to diagnostic criteria unless clinically necessary. That gives me the freedom to work holistically—with Scripture, clinical tools, and soul-level care all in the room. This isn’t work around the edges of my license—it’s deeply within it.--using a clinical model that holds grace and evidence, theology and practice, together.
Holding the Tension (and Keeping the Lights On)
This dual-setting model—agency and private practice—lets me live out values that once felt like rivals: justice and sustainability, access and autonomy, faith and professionalism. It covers my living expenses, fuels my research, fully aligns with my education, and yes—keeps the rice and beans stocked.
It’s not perfect. But it’s faithful. And in a field where burnout, bureaucracy, and ethical compromise are all too common, that’s worth something.
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Michelle O'Neil