With mental health becoming less stigmatized and more accessible with telehealth, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by allll the counselors and therapists out there on the internet. Below are a few tips on finding the right mental health therapist for you.
How to Find the Right Therapist
- Narrow Down Areas/Issues You Want to Work On
It’s helpful to take a minute and narrow down what you want to work on in therapy. For example, you realize you want to work on your crippling anxiety that has been going on for far too long. What is it about your anxiety, specifically? Is it panic attacks, social anxiety, general worry or a mixture of all the above? By narrowing this down, it can help focus your search and you’ll be able to find a therapist who specializes in that area.
If you’re looking for general life direction and don’t even know where to start, or there are a few areas you want to focus on, that’s perfectly understandable and normal. Try looking for therapists that specialize in life transitions or takes a more generalized approach.
*pro-tip: If a therapist mentions they utilize an eclectic approach, this simply means they incorporate multiple therapy techniques and approaches. They evaluate the presenting issues and then formulate a treatment plan with you. This is very common and many therapists find this to be helpful, as they are not nailed down to one technique or treatment.
2. Identify What’s Important To you
For some, a very warm and soft approach might be important. For others, they may value a more structured, direct approach. Some clients want someone who has shared experience or may feel more comfortable working with a specific gender. Everyone is truly different! Imagine yourself talking to your best friend, or someone who you feel comfortable with and think about what they bring to the table that makes you feel that way. This can help you identify some traits in a therapist that you know you’ll work well with.
3. Search Through Psychology Today
You may have heard about this one, but Psychology Today is where most therapists have profiles and explain their treatment approach, credentials and contact information. With Psychology Today, you can filter by zip code, treatment approach, issue and insurance. These filters will help narrow your search down and find the right therapist for you.
4. Go With Your Gut
Once you gather a short list from Psychology Today, you’ll want to look through each therapists’ websites. Here, you can find even more information about each therapist, if needed. Never underestimate the power of going with your gut instinct. You know you best – so trust that you’ll make the right decision!
Finding a Therapist That Accepts Your Insurance
To find a therapist that accepts your insurance, you will need to filter through Psychology Today. You can also visit your specific insurance provider’s website and search the provider section. A third option is calling your insurance provider and they will give you a list of names of who is in your network. Usually, the therapist will have what insurances they accept on their website as well. If your unsure of what you’re insurance will reimburse, visit this article where I explain all the nuances of insurance payment.
Sometimes you may reach out to a therapist and they are not accepting new clients. That can be really discouraging, especially if you feel like you would have really connected. If this happens, you can ask them to refer you to a similar provider or ask if they can contact you when they have an opening. This is why it’s helpful to have a few options just in case they are full.
You may have heard about this one, but Psychology Today is where most therapists have profiles and explain their treatment approach, credentials and contact information. With Psychology Today, you can filter by zip code, treatment approach, issue and insurance. These filters will help narrow your search down and find the right therapist for you.
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