Most people assume that if they want to take a writing class, they’ll have to pay out-of-pocket. But there’s a good chance you already have money set aside for exactly this kind of work.
Employers have expanded wellness benefits over the last few years—quietly. And while it looks great when HR outlines the full compensation package, a lot of it goes underutilized or completely unused.
Not because people don’t need support, but because they don’t realize what qualifies—or they’re not sure how to begin the process of accessing these funds.
Writing for emotional health often does qualify, and I’m going to outline exactly how to verify this, as well as what you’ll need if you want to apply your benefits toward a reSTORYtive class.
Before we get into it, a quick note: this is meant to guide and empower you to explore your options. I’m not an HR or medical professional, and policies vary by employer and provider. Use this as a starting point—but always verify details with your plan administrator or a licensed provider.
How to check your employer benefits
Start with your HR portal or benefits summary. You’re looking for anything that sounds like:
- Wellness reimbursement
- Lifestyle Spending Account (LSA)
- Professional development stipend
- Continuing education allowance
- Mental health or wellbeing funds
The wording varies by company, but the intent is similar: these are funds meant to support your overall wellbeing—not just gym memberships.
Memoir writing can fall into that category when it’s positioned correctly. You’re not just “taking a class.” You’re engaging in structured reflection, emotional processing, and personal development.
If it’s unclear, ask. A simple message to HR can go a long way:
“Would a guided writing or memoir class focused on emotional wellbeing qualify under our wellness or professional development benefits?”
You don’t need to overcomplicate it. Copy, paste and send!
Can memoir writing qualify under HSA or FSA?
Sometimes, yes—with the right framing and documentation.
Health Savings Accounts (HSA) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) are more restrictive than employer stipends, but they can cover non-traditional services when they’re tied to mental or emotional health.
In this case, that usually means:
- the writing is positioned as supporting stress reduction or emotional wellbeing
- you have a Letter of Medical Necessity (LMN) from a licensed provider
This isn’t automatic. Every plan is different. But it’s common enough that it’s worth exploring if you already have funds in one of these accounts.
The key is to verify with your plan administrator before enrolling, so you know exactly what’s required.
Now let’s discuss the Letter of Medical Necessity—which can sound formal and complicated, but in practice is much simpler than it seems.
What is a Letter of Medical Necessity?
A Letter of Medical Necessity (LMN) is a short document from a licensed healthcare provider stating that a specific activity supports your mental or physical health.
In this context, it might outline that:
- you’re experiencing stress, anxiety, or emotional strain
- structured writing supports processing and regulation
- participating in a guided program is part of that support
For HSA/FSA reimbursement, this is often what bridges the gap between something that looks “optional” and something that qualifies as a health-related expense.
It’s straightforward, and increasingly common for wellness-related services.
How to get an LMN
Good News! You don’t need to already be working with a therapist to get one.
There are telehealth platforms that handle this process end-to-end. Typically, it looks like:
- You fill out a short intake form
- You schedule a brief virtual consult (often 10–20 minutes)
- A licensed provider asks a few questions about stress, emotional health, and goals
- If appropriate, (would it be clearer expectation setting to say, “if the doctor can diagnose a medical condition in need of treatment, ie, anxiety, depression, etc” - b/c if some people aren’t comfortable with a formal diagnosis they might not feel comfortable going that route and I want them to understand that’s a requirement) they will issue documentation you can submit for reimbursement
Specialized platforms for an LMN
Well Revolution (wellrevolution.com)
How it Works: This is a direct-to-consumer medical service. A student can start a chat with one of their “doctors-on-demand” specifically to request an LMN for a "medical service".
What You’ll Do: Tell the Well Revolution doctor you’re taking a therapeutic memoir writing class for a specific condition (like PTSD or Depression). The doctor issues a general LMN that the student can use with any provider.
Cost: $29–$30 monthly membership which includes unlimited text visits and LMNs as of April 2026.
Flex (withflex.com)
How it Works: Flex primarily partners with brands to offer LMNs at checkout (utlized for services and products they sell). However, they also allow individuals to get an LMN for external services (like a specific gym or wellness program) by completing a standalone consultation.
What You’ll Do: A student would pay Flex for the consultation, receive the LMN via email, pay separately for the class, and then submit both the reSTORYtive receipt and the Flex LMN to their HSA/FSA administrator for reimbursement.
Cost: $10–$15 application fee per LMN as of April 2026.
Klarity Health (helloklarity.com)
How it Works: This is a marketplace for licensed mental health providers (NPs, Psychiatrists). A student would book a standard telehealth appointment.
What You’ll Do: Establish a "treating provider" relationship here. During your session, you can ask the provider to include reSTORYtive in the treatment plan via an LMN. This can be best for students who want a "payer-ready" document from a board-certified specialist they actually spoke with, which carries more weight with some insurance/FSA administrators.
Cost: $80–$150 per initial consultation, set by each individual provider on the marketplace, as of April 2026.
As always, check that the provider operates in your state and that your plan accepts their documentation.
This isn’t about forcing something to qualify. It’s about understanding what’s already possible within the system you’re paying into.
Use your wellness benefits for personal growth and mental health support!
A lot of people hesitate to invest in something like memoir writing because it feels optional. Or indulgent.
But if you zoom out, the work itself is grounded in:
- reflection
- emotional processing
- making sense of lived experience
That’s not separate from wellbeing. It’s part of it.
And if your employer or your health plan has already set aside money for that kind of support, it’s worth using it.
These benefits are part of your compensation.
They’re there to be used—not left sitting in an account because the category feels unclear.
Don’t leave support on the table
If finances have been the only hesitation, start by checking what you already have access to.
You may find that the barrier is lower than you thought.
And if not, at least you’re making a clear, informed decision—rather than assuming it’s out of reach.
Take five minutes today: log into your HR portal or send the email. See what’s possible.
And regardless of how you choose to move forward, your wellbeing is worth resourcing, you’ll always have my support.
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