How Do I Find the Right Psychotherapist For Me?
A question I'm asked quite frequently of someone seeking
psychotherapy is, "How do I find the right psychotherapist for
me?" The first thing I recommend is ask around for a referral
from family members, friends, and coworkers. It is then I
realize there is still a stigma around getting psychological
help. Many people just don't feel comfortable asking people in
their own lives. Either they don't want others to know that they
need help; or they're afraid of making other people
uncomfortable if they asked them!
1. Ask people you know for a suggestion.
My first
suggestion is still to ask around (those who you feel
comfortable asking). In the meantime, I guess we have to do more
educating about psychological problems so that people do not
feel judged when they need help.
2. Check the yellow pages. The yellow pages is still
second to word-of-mouth for psychotherapy referrals. Yellow
pages advertising usually requires that professionals be
licensed to list under certain categories. While going to a
licensed professional does not guaranteed a good therapeutic
fit, you can make certain assumptions:
This professional has the education and training needed to pass
licensure requirements in the State.
This professional has
ethical standards they must maintain; and if they do not, you
have recourse for disciplinary action.
This professional
probably has to have continuing education in their field to
maintain their license.
This professional must follow
certain professional guidelines in administering treatment to
their patients.
Professional categories to look under are:
Psychotherapists, Psychologists, Psychiatrists, Marriage and
Family Therapists, Social Workers, Counselors.
Work
Setting Categories are:
Mental Health, Social Service
Organizations, Crisis Intervention Centers, Domestic Violence
and Women's Shelters, Alcohol and Drug Treatment Centers, Human
Service Organizations. These may vary somewhat within your local
phone listings, but you get the idea.
The internet is also a source for finding reputable
professionals to help you. Just look for the same credentials
that you look for from other referral sources.
As a point of clarification, Psychologists have a PhD and do
psychotherapy and psychological testing. Psychiatrists are MD's
or DO's (medical doctors) who have a specialty in Psychiatry.
So, they can also be found under Physicians in your yellow pages
directory. Psychiatrists can prescribe and manage psychotropic
medications, but most do not do psychotherapy.
3. Get a Referral from Another Professional
Other professionals who deal with people in distress, such as
Other Therapists, Medical Doctors, Chiropractors, Massage
Therapists, Attorneys, Human Resource Offices at Businesses,
Teachers and School Psychologists and Counselors, and Police and
the Courts all may be appropriate sources for referrals. Some
communities also have a referral systems. For example,
Physicians Referral, which is a call in service.
What kind of helping professional would work best for
me?
Let's go through some differences in therapists:
Would you feel more comfortable with a man or a woman?
Do
you think you can connect better with a younger or older
therapist?
D Do you need to have a professional who accepts
your insurance?
Do you need a therapist with evening or
weekend hours?
Do you know that you work better with a
certain treatment approach or style?
Do you want a therapist
who will be supportive for your lifestyle? For example a
therapist who is gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender
affirming.
As a note, sometimes clients believe that they cannot get
understanding from a therapist unless the therapist has had the
same experiences. For example, "I can't go to a therapist who
has never been married", or "She can't understand, she's never
had children, or "He's advising me, and he's divorced!" "He's
never lost anyone, how could he know how I feel."
There is a reason why therapists do not talk about their
personal lives, and this is one of them. Psychologists go
through extensive training to become professionals in their
field. Part of that training often involves the therapist
becoming the patient so that they can work through their own
personal issues before trying to help others. Just as the
medical doctor has not had all illnesses, psychologists haven't
experienced every human experience, but they learn through
training and experience.
Now take a look at your situation?
Do you need somebody who specializes in your problem? Unless a
therapist lists a particular specialty in their advertising,
most therapists are general practitioners and can handle most
problems.
Do you need medication? Most often a person doesn't know if they
need medication. In this case,it's usually best to schedule an
appointment with someone other than a psychiatrist. If you need
a psychiatrist, you will be referred to one.
Is the problem more an individual issue or a relationships
issue? If most of your misery is stemming from your
relationship, and your partner is willing, start with a Licensed
Marriage and Family Therapist. These professionals have had
additional training and experience that qualifies them
specifically for the Marriage and Family Therapist licensure.
Again, this doesn't guarantee they will be good therapists, but
it does mean they have met certain requirements in the field.
If you are having sexual difficulties, you might want to seek
help from a certified Sex Therapist. I find it is better to seek
help from licensed professional who also has experience and
training in sexual dysfunction. The field of Sex Therapy is
somewhat less regulated than the others mentioned, so you want
to make sure this individual is someone who is
reputable.
What type of psythotherapy do you feel will be most helpful
to you?
This is a question most people do not know
how to answer. What types are there? This is why it's helpful to
talk to a friend who has been there.
I am primarily a
cognitive therapist, for example, but I wouldn't expect you to
know that. And I don't list my primary treatment preference in
any advertising because I like to be somewhat eclectic in my
approach.
I would answer that question when you called
in for an appointment if you asked me. Certainly, I would
discuss my approach when you came for your first
appointment.
If you were suffering from an Anxiety
Disorder, I would use a more exclusively cognitive/behavioral
approach, if you came in for PTSD, I would add some other
treatment modalities specific to that disorder. Marriage
Counseling, although cognitive, is treated a little differently
than individual therapy. For example, I use more structure, more
homework, and am more active with couples. It works better and
gets the couple moving toward health more quickly.
What is the average length of treatment?
This
probably has the most varied answer of all.
Some have
chronic and severe mental illness and need the involvement of a
Psychiatrist for medication and a therapist for initial
treatment and then followup periodically as changes happen in
the condition throughout life.
Some have more difficult acute disorders like a major depressive
disorder which may also need medication and weekly therapy until
the depression is reduced. Of those who take antidepressant
medication, some do remain on medication for years to maintain
health. The majority stay on medication for 6 months to 2 years,
depending on their particular case.
Eating Disorders and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, for
example, can be stubborn to treat in that they have impacted at
many levels of the clients life. In the most difficult PTSD
cases, two to three years of therapy is not uncommon. In the
case of eating disorders, it can take longer.
That's only a small sample of possibilities, it really depends
on the client's response to therapy and their life situation and
the resources available to them in the community. For eating
disordered people, for example, there are excellent inpatient
treatment programs that can be lifesaving, and therapy would be
a follow up to that.
Hopefully I have shed some small light on the mysterious world
of psychotherapy. These are suggestions for finding a therapist.
One of the things I do not address is "the personality factor".
There really is no way to access your comfort level with a
therapist until you meet with him or her. Since the first
session is usually information gathering, give the new therapist
two or three sessions to see if your personalities are
compatible for entering into this most important trusting
relationship with one another.