Anonymous asked: I've never gone to a therapist before, but I think it's time that I start. How do I go about finding someone to call and make an appointment with? I don't feel ready to admit to friends or colleagues that I want therapy, so I don't feel as if I can "ask around" for recommendations? How do I start?
Finding a new therapist can be tricky, and it is not unusual to see one a few times, determine that is not the therapist for you, and then find another. I may need feedback from you to answer this to your satisfaction, so please write again if I don’t get everything you need to know on the first try.
One of the things you need to decide is what do you need to get out of treatment? For instance, if you think you are schizophrenic, bipolar, or seriously clinically depressed, you should probably start with a psychiatrist in case you need medication, and to rule out a medical problem that may cause symptoms of mental illness. A psychiatrist is basically a medical doctor with extra education in mental health and illness.
If you have an issue like OCD you may benefit from medication, but also cognitive behavioral therapy. CBT is sort of a practical and speedy approach, as opposed to traditional psychotherapy. CBT is not about digging through all of your childhood traumas and rehashing everything, it is more about “what can we do now to change your mental and behavioral patterns so you feel better and cope more easily” with life. This is good for almost any mental or emotional issue, and can dovetail very well along with psychiatry for a serious mental illness or mood disorder.
Psychologists cannot prescribe medication. Neither can social workers or the professionals commonly known as counselors. But many of these therapists work with doctors or psychiatrists, so if a patient seems to need medication the counselor can refer to the MD they work with in those situations.
Just like medical doctors who specialize in different parts of medicine like orthopaedics or urology, therapists often specialize. So if you have a history of molestation, child abuse, or another specific issue, you may want to see someone who specializes in that area.
A good way to start looking for someone is to ask your regular health care provider. They may be able to refer you. Many insurance companies (assuming you are in the US) have websites with providers and therapists listed along with their specialties, backgrounds and licensing which can also be helpful. If you have a local hospital that you use for medical things, check their website. They often have a list similar to the insurance company list. This may sound odd, but look at ads, too. I found an excellent woman therapist with a doctorate in psychology when I kept seeing her ads in the local newspaper. The wording in the ads really appealed to me, so I gave her a try.
If you do not have insurance, most areas have mental health clinics you can go to. In the past I have done that. It seems like a crap shoot, but I worked with a couple of excellent people through those low-cost clinics.
In the end, working with a therapist is going to be all about personalities. If you don’t hit it off in some way, you won’t be able to do the work. Once you find someone you think you want to try out, go to the department of professional regulation for your state and check that therapist’s licensing. Most states have this listing online. You do the license lookup, put the name in, and check to see that they truly have the license they say they do, that it is current and that no complaints have been filed against them. In most places, it is not easy to get a complaint put on that site. So if a therapist or other health care professional including nurses have a complaint listed, I’d avoid them.
If you have more questions after reading this, please hit me up again.
Organizations that offer support for the mentally ill and their families, and may also be a resource for finding a therapist:
National Alliance on Mental Illness
