Question about Therapy

[Pilotparent]

I feel silly even writing this... A little back story, my son has a SI medical and has been doing amazing for a long time not taking meds. He sees his HIMS psychiatrist every 6 months and does great each time. My question is this.........
Can he see a family therapist without reporting it? He is not depressed he is just struggling with 19 year old crap, like his girlfriend of 6 years and he broke up a few months ago. He started seeing a new girl and she just broke up with him. So he is just struggling trying to move forward and navigate being a 19 year old kid. Everything I have read says YES, but I am wondering what your take is?

 

[Jonathan Stein]

Pay in cash and do not tell the HIMS AME or the FAA anything about it. As you know disclosing the truth will only make your sons life harder.

 

[Lindberg]

Your son is 19 years old, wants to be a professional pilot, but you've been chasing answers here for his SI. As a parent myself, I understand the desire to solve problems for our kids, but as this point in his life/career, is this important enough to him to figure this out? FWIW, most colleges have student mental-health services that can provide counseling for students. Or maybe there's a church counseling service available to him. The instructions for the 8500-8 state that counseling is reportable if related to substance abuse or a psychiatric condition.

 

[TCABM]

...he is just struggling trying to move forward and navigate being a 19 year old kid...

Being a pilot and being a kid are incompatible. One requires responsibility, the other doesn’t.

 

[Pilotparent]

Your son is 19 years old, wants to be a professional pilot, but you've been chasing answers here for his SI. As a parent myself, I understand the desire to solve problems for our kids, but as this point in his life/career, is this important enough to him to figure this out? FWIW, most colleges have student mental-health services that can provide counseling for students. Or maybe there's a church counseling service available to him. The instructions for the 8500-8 state that counseling is reportable if related to substance abuse or a psychiatric condition.

Thanks for your response and your reprimand for my parenting skills. I'm the one with the account on here that WE created together so I posted the question. It is THAT important to him so we are working this out together. I guess I don't think you have to stop parenting when your kid turns 18. That being said, thanks for your suggestions, I appreciate your input.

 

[Pilotparent]

Being a pilot and being a kid are incompatible. One requires responsibility, the other doesn’t.

GOT it! Thanks!

 

[bbchien]

No he has to report it. Do it. Persisting in the face of adversity address one of the FAA criteria: resiliency. But be very careful about any diagnosis he/she may enter into the record. Others on this board have suggested how to do this: Hint: to get paid by insurance, the therapist has to enter a diagnosis or not get paid......

 

[murphey]

Ignore advice from most of us here except Dr Bruce Chien, aka bbchien. He speaks not only with the correct knowledge but also with the authority of intimate knowledge of the FAA Medical division.