An impeachment inquiry concerning President Trump is ongoing at the time of publication of this Blog. As a nation, the great divide between Conservatives and Progressives and the Left and the Right is colossal. The tentacles of such divisiveness have…
The Bathtub Test During a visit to the mental asylum, a visitor asked the Director what the criterion was which defined whether or not a patient should be institutionalized. “Well,” said the Director, “we fill up a bathtub, then we…
Strip Club “Hot Car” We have all read stories about kids being locked in a car when a parent is shopping or working. But, Ripley may have a difficult time believing this one. A Florida mom was busted this week…
In our June 2019 Newsletter we discussed our sizable investment in technology upgrades that were scheduled to take place in the 3rd quarter of this year. Well, here we are in the third quarter of this year and we are…
Mental Health Hospital Interview ›The head therapist at a local mental hospital is examining patients to see if they’re cured and ready to re-enter society. “So, Mr. Clark, I see by your chart that you’ve been recommended for dismissal. Do…
Costco Goes Brick & Mortar in the Far East √ Buying bulk in China is the new rage. The country’s first Costco store is so popular that it had to shut down early on its first day of operation…
Providers often ask Associated Billing Center, LLC how they can improve their revenue cycle management and grow their practice. Our years of providing service exclusively to mental health providers have proven that the following suggestions are helpful: √ Offer after…
Cognitive Restructuring A little boy was overheard talking to himself as he strutted through the backyard, wearing his baseball cap and toting a ball and bat. “I’m the greatest hitter in the world,” he announced. Then, he tossed the ball…
Living Apart Together It all comes down to this. Many elderly couples embrace the idea of companionship. In fact, they are big fans of falling in love and enjoying each other’s company. But there is a caveat. They want the…
In our most recent monthly Newsletter Education Box (available on our website) we address the topic of outsourcing your mental health billing overseas. Associated Billing Center, LLC has recently contracted with an influx of mental health providers who had previously…
Senior Memories: Two elderly couples were enjoying friendly conversation when one of the men asked the other, “Fred, how was the memory clinic you went to last month? “Outstanding,” Fred replied. “They taught us all the latest psychological techniques -visualization,…
A Michigan couple has taken their support for Donald Trump and his Make America Great Again slogan to an extreme personal level. Jeff and Audra Johnson got married in Kalamazoo, Michigan recently. Their wedding theme? Yes, Make America Great Again….
Your kid is bullying someone. Should you be held responsible for that behavior if he or she is under 18 years old? Yes, according to the Wisconsin Rapids’ Legislative Committee. The legislative body recently voted unanimously supporting an ordinance that…
A successful mental health billing service truly needs to be operating at a high efficiency level in many areas to meet the demands of its clients. Team members must be knowledgeable in all facets of mental health billing, protocols must…
Imagine that you are a server in a casual restaurant and the tip left for you is $424,000 in the form of a cashier’s check. A waiter at a New York City pizzeria was stiffed on his table’s bill but…
A behavioral science professor at a London University says that marriage is not for everybody and in particular women. Professor Paul Dolan says that when it comes to men they seem to benefit more from the institution because marriage makes…
Therapist to Patient: What’s your problem? Patient to Therapist: I think I’m a chicken. Therapist to patient: How long has this been going on? Patient: Ever since I was an egg. A patient goes to a therapist and says…
BFF-Best Friends Forever. What a terrific feeling knowing that you have a close friend who is there for you in a moment of need and is a great companion just to hang out with and have fun. Finding a new…
Since 1949, the month of May has been observed as Mental Health Month in the United States and many national organizations such as NAMI, Mental Health America and other affiliates spotlight Mental Health Month to raise awareness about the importance…
A.A.A.D.D. Age Activated Attention Deficit Disorder This is how it goes: I decide to wash the car; I start toward the garage and notice the mail on the table. OK, I’m going to wash the car. But first I’m going…
Some studies recommend that you go ahead and do it. Recent research suggests that swearing can help reduce pain and lower stress levels. Keele University psychologist Dr. Richard Stephens says that, “Swearing triggers a well-known stress-induced analgesia. Adrenaline is released,…
It truly is an historic occasion. Time Magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people is almost half women for the first time ever. Females have gained three slots from the previous year. When the magazine published its first list…
● Patient to Therapist: “No one believes a word I say.” Therapist to Patient: “Tell me the truth now, what’s your real problem?” ● Patient to Therapist: “People keep telling me I’m ugly.” Therapist to Patient: “Lay on the couch…
The Stigma surrounding adults afflicted with mental health challenges can sometimes prevent individuals from seeking therapy. Now, research indicates that the same holds true for school aged children. Schools across the country are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of…
You might want to make sure you are in the most comfortable position at your desk before reading any further. According to a recent study of more than 50 sit-stand desks the benefits of using such a work station are…
−We think a mental health therapist offered this advice to a patient who was apprehensive about attending company meetings. ▪ Never arrive on time, or you will be stamped a beginner. ▪ Don’t say anything until the meeting is half…
When the Red Planet hosts its first human visitor that person could be a woman. NASA head, Jim Bridenstine, maintains that this could be the reality. He said that women are at the forefront of the agency’s future plans. In…
According to a recent report published in JAMA Pediatrics half of children with a mental health condition in the United States go without treatment. Researchers studied data from the 2016 National Survey of Children’s Health. The Finding: Of the 46.6…
● When is it okay for a mental health therapist to be judgemental? Only to criticize everyone else for being judgemental. Source: BigCulpMaster ● A husband and wife who worked for the circus went to an adoption agency. The social…
An ever growing number of mental health therapists are in agreement with a recent survey that shows 45-percent of Americans think their sex life is stuck in a rut. And, there is more. Seven in ten admitted that they could…
I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to the many providers who recommended Associated Billing Center, LLC to their colleagues searching for a mental health billing company in 2018. I believe this is a tribute to our team members and…
◊ (This joke contains adult content) A therapist was conducting a group session with four young mothers and their small children. “You all have obsessions,” he observed. To the first mother he said, “You are obsessed with eating. You even…
√ All is not as it appears. You find yourself admitted to a not for profit hospital. Undoubtedly, they will provide you with a packet of information that includes instructions on how to make a donation to that facility. But,…
Representatives of NAMI recently visited newly sworn-in members of the 116th Congress to express some of their objectives in the New Year ahead. Its goals include: Improve Care NAMI believes improving mental health care is critical to achieve better outcomes….
Upskirting is expected to be criminalized in England and Wales. We were just as shocked as you to learn that the practice of filming up a female’s skirt without her permission (how many women do you know that would grant…
Several studies have recently shown that obesity in the workplace could affect the perception your employer and co-workers have about you. Employees with expanded BMI’s can be stereotyped as lazy, unmotivated, unintelligent, sloppy and lacking willpower. It is a stigma…
Donna Reed, June Cleaver, Marion Cunningham, Lucy Ricardo, Edith Bunker—OK, you get it- women who did not work outside of the home but were responsible for laundry, housework, making the kids lunch and cooking. Guess what. Women by a large…
◊After twelve years of counseling, my therapist said something that brought tears to my eyes. She said, “No Hablo Ingles.” ◊A man walks into his therapist’s office and claims he suffers from CDO. The therapist looks puzzled and asks what…
√ The descent of the Swarovski laden ball on New Years Eve in Time Square signifies more than just the beginning of the New Year. Since 2009, the federal minimum wage has stalled at $7.25 an hour, but that is…
I was out to dinner with a close friend of mine and the topic of gratitude arose. Ellen faced medical, mental health and financial problems in the past year and I asked her how she was coping. Her short answer:…
◊ A young woman takes her troubles to a therapist. “You must help me,” she pleaded. “Its gotten to that every time I date a nice guy, I end up in bed with him. And then afterward, I feel guilty…
A Kaiser Family Foundation/Economist three-country survey recently found that one in five Americans report always or often feeling lonely or socially isolated. These feelings are accompanied frequently with physical and financial consequences. An interesting finding in the report is that…
This is shocking. Instead of trading a washer and dryer for what you hope will be a brand new car-one set of parents offered to trade embryos based on its sex. A mother was so anxious to give birth to…
It all depends. Some employers frown on the very idea even going so far as to include the topic in their employee handbooks. Employees counter that this is an infringement on their first amendment rights to free speech. The analogy…
The Food and Drug Administration has been verbalizing for quite sometime its desire to curb smoking and vaping among youth. Recently, the FDA announced plans to ban menthol cigarettes, many flavored small cigars and to move forward with restrictions on…
I recently returned from my 4th annual convention with the American Medical Billing Association in Las Vegas. There was a breakout section for Mental Health Billing companies of which I am an active, contributing participant. Every year we exchange ideas…
√ Canada legalized recreational marijuana this month and, while business is brisk, dispensaries are already finding it challenging to keep pace with demand. One young entrepreneur discovered another benefit of long lines to purchase weed. Elina Childs, age 9, stood…
A U.S. study published in the journal Preventive Medicine Reports maintains that after just one hour of screen time, children and adolescents may exhibit less curiosity, lower self-control and reduced emotional stability. Nursery school children who used screens frequently were…
Associated Billing Center, LLC is a supporter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). The following is their message concerning this upcoming election: “For decades mental health advocates have shaped laws, increased funding and promoted research to address the…
A man is strolling past the mental hospital and suddenly remembers an important meeting. Unfortunately, his watch has stopped, and he cannot tell if he is late or not. Then, he notices a patient similarly strolling about within the hospital fence. Calling out to the…
It is a fact: Men around the world cry significantly less than women and when they do cry it is for shorter periods. The primary contributing factors are both social and biological. Ad Vingerhoets, a psychologist at Tilburg University in…
WalletHub is out with its list of the hardest working states in America. The survey shows that the average American works approximately 1,800 hours per year and 52 percent do not take all the vacation time available to them. So…
Throughout the course of a month I will get several calls from therapists telling me they would like to refer Associated Billing Center, LLC to a friend or an acquaintance. I very much appreciate these calls on two levels. First,…
The opioid crisis is affecting our friends, our families and our communities, including too many people with mental illness. 1 in 5 adults with mental illness have a substance use condition. Congress is expected to vote soon on a final bill…
Coughing, hacking, shortness of breathe, lung disease-absolutely all can be by-products of breathing polluted air. But, according to a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, prolonged exposure to dirty air has a significant impact on…
** A patient goes to his therapist and says he is depressed. He says life seems harsh and cruel. He says he feels all alone in a threatening world, where what lies ahead is vague and uncertain. The therapist says…
International Overdose Awareness Day is held on August 31st each year. Its purpose is to raise awareness of the disease and the physical and emotional toll it takes on the addicted individual, family members and friends. Yes, it is a…
I never thought I would trend in this direction. More about that later. Men across America are increasingly growing beards from the stubble to the goatee, or the full beard. Procter & Gamble (Gillette’s parent company) says it’s easier for…
A number of mental health providers are now reporting seeing a growing number of parents and children concerning sexting. What is sexting? It is defined as sending, receiving, or forwarding sexually explicit messages, photographs, or images, primarily between mobile phones, of oneself…
Joe had been seeing a mental health therapist for four years for treatment of the fear that he had monsters under his bed. His progress was very poor and it had been years since Joe had gotten a good night’s…
We are aware that we include stories concerning opiate addiction often on this Blog. We are also aware that many of our providers offer addiction counseling and we hope that the information provided will be useful. Another reason we write…
Stress at work! Wow, by no means a startling revelation or a newly discovered phenomenon. What is newly discovered is the fact that a simple saliva test can show within hours whether someone is stressed out on the job. The…
– Patient to Therapist: I keep thinking I’m a bell. Therapist to Patient: Well, just go home and if the feeling persists, just give me a ring. – Patient to Therapist: I feel like a pack of cards. Therapist…
This comes under the banner “We report-you decide.” The World Health Organization has recognized compulsive sexual behavior as a mental disorder but says it remains unclear if it is an addiction on par with gambling or drug abuse. The organization…
– I used to be indecisive. Now I’m not sure. – Hypochondria is the only illness that I don’t have. – Patient to Therapist: I think I’m a cat. Therapist: How long has this been going on? Patient: Oh, since…
It can be extremely annoying. Walking or driving near someone who is immersed in using their cell phone. Now, a shopping center in China has added a pedestrian lane in the mall for those of us who simply cannot part…
It’s the kind of Déjà vu we can all live without- another mass shooting in the United States. The tragic event at the Capital Gazette took the lives of five people and injured others. According to data from the Gun…
Many parents and mental health therapists continue to advocate for and support initiatives calling on public schools to include a class on the subject of mental health itself. The Huffington Post reports that New York and Virginia are now including…
If you love her act you are smitten with her stage presence, voice and artistic skills. If you are indifferent to Lady Gaga as a performer you probably know little about her. She is passionate concerning her efforts to support…
Mental Health therapists deserve the public’s gratitude. You have chosen a profession that can uniquely alter the course of an individual life. Therapists can provide a person with a pathway, a GPS if you will, toward a more contentment filled…
After living in opioid hell-of constantly being sick to my stomach, of throwing up, of having the shakes and feeling depressed and crying-my body and brain are back to normal. Michael Reagan is the elder son of former President Ronald…
All that glitters at the Royal wedding of Prince Harry and American Actress Meghan Markle is not attached to joy, jubilation and happiness. When we are asked about our level of interest in the fairy tale event it ranges from…
An estimated 42 million Americans are the primary caregivers to family and friends. Many have no formal training or guidance and give of themselves unselfishly to assist a loved one in daily chores and to live life to the fullest…
-A very shy guy goes into a nightclub and sees a beautiful women sitting at the bar. After an hour of gathering up his courage, he finally goes over to her and asks, tentatively, “Um, would you mind if I…
A man goes to a therapist and says, “I got a real problem I can’t stop thinking about sex.” The therapist says, “Well let’s see what we can find out,” and pulls out his ink blots. “What is this a…
We hear people offering us advice when we are upset, angry, or frustrated to calm down. Now, researchers from Iowa State University finds that angry men aged 20 to 40 are one-and-a-half times more likely to be dead 35 years…
Patient to Therapist: People tell me I am a wheelbarrow. Therapist to Patient: Don’t let people push you around. Patient to Therapist: People keep telling me I’m ugly. Therapist to Patient: Lay on the couch, face down. The mother of…
Several publications are reporting that you might soon be able to ask your spouse or boyfriend if he has taken his oral contraceptive. Before you believe you did not get enough sleep last night and your reading comprehension skills are…
The official theme for Social Work Month, March 2018, is Social Workers: Leaders, Advocates, and Champions. Celebrated each March the nation’s more than 650 thousand social workers turn the spotlight on the profession and highlight the important contributions they make…
-A prize was recently awarded to mental health researchers in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Canada and the United States for asking a thousand liars how often they lie, and for deciding whether to believe those answers. -What’s the difference between…
Psychiatrist and clinical professor, Dr. Sudeepta Varma at NYU’s Langone Medical Center, comments on the obsession some individuals have with British Royalty. “Keeping it as a hobby is OK. Being obsessed to the point that you are spending a lot…
Sacramento TV station WCVB reports that about 35 librarians in California have completed a course in how to respond to signs of mental illness or substance abuse. Many homeless people visit libraries to use computers and to read. Staff is…
“You’ve got more issues than Time Magazine.” “Therapists like Kentucky Freud Chicken.” “If you get a fruit basket from your therapist it will probably be shrink-wrapped.” “Therapists and rectal doctors deal with odds and ends.” Source: punoftheday.com “The reason I…
It is official. Britain has appointed its first Minister For Loneliness. No, this is not a story taken from the Onion but an acknowledgement by our friends across the Pond that being lonely can trigger a wide range of physical…
-Two therapists are thinking of forming a partnership. Partner A: “I deserve a 60 percent share of the revenue because my patients need more therapy and counseling.” Partner B: “That’s nonsense. How did you reach such a conclusion? Partner A:…
The World Health Organization is ready to classify “gaming disorder” as a mental health problem in its 2018 update of the ICD. A tentative draft of WHO’s 11th update to the International Classification of Diseases states that gaming disorders could…
Your Mental Health
Billing Specialist
A New Jersey based company servicing the Continental United States.
