No, I do not view therapy as medical care nor do I see myself as in need of treatment. For me personally, it is an elective service that I choose to employ because I enjoy it. It improves my mood and serves as a useful outlet for talking/venting, receiving support and validation, bouncing ideas/thoughts off of someone, etc. I view it along the same lines as getting a massage, going to a fitness trainer, etc. It's not medical or necessary, but it definitely has tangible benefits and I think I'm a better "me" when I go.

ETA: That said, I appreciate the fact that my health insurance views it as "medical" because they pay for it (minus my small co-pay). However, insurance is a different topic entirely. I think it's ridiculous that my medical insurance will pay for therapy, subsidize the cost of massage and fitness training, but not cover my chiropractor. For me, therapy, massage, and fitness are "elective" but the chiropractor is a NECESSITY. My neck is so bad that I have to pay $300/month out of pocket for a chiropractor simply so I can get out of bed and go to work in the morning. Even more ridiculous is that my insurance WOULD pay $1200/month for steroid injections in my neck if I chose to have them. However, since I'm only 30, I don't want to "give up" on figuring out what's wrong with my neck and start getting regular steroid injections to relieve the pain, because I would have to continue with them for the rest of my life. Since I choose less expensive, less invasive, preventative medicine-- rather than pain pills/shots-- I have to pay out of pocket. That is ridiculous to me. **rant over**