Why is this choice so important?
Therapy is a collaborative process, so finding the right
match-someone with whom you have a sense of rapport-is critical.
After you find someone, keep in mind that therapy is work and
sometimes can be painful. However, it also can be rewarding and
life changing.
Can a therapist share what I have said during therapy?
You can rest assured that all mental health professionals are
ethically bound to keep what you say during therapy
confidential. However, therapists also are bound by law to
report information such as threats to blow up a building or to
harm another person, for example.
What are the steps for choosing a therapist?
See your primary care physician to rule out a medical cause of
your problems. If your thyroid is "sluggish," for example, your
symptoms-such as loss of appetite and fatigue-could be mistaken
for depression.
After you know your problems are not caused by a medical
condition, find out what the mental health coverage is under
your insurance policy or through Medicaid/Medicare.
Get two or three referrals before making an appointment.
Specify age, sex, race, or religious background if those
characteristics are important to you.
Call to find out about appointment availability, location, and
fees. Ask the receptionist: Does the mental health professional
offer a sliding-scale fee based on income?
Does he or she accept your health insurance or Medicaid/Medicare?
Make sure the therapist has experience helping people whose
problems are similar to yours. You may want to ask the
receptionist about the therapist's expertise, education, and
number of years in practice.
If you are satisfied with the answers, make an appointment.
During your first visit, describe those feelings and problems
that led you to seek help. Find out: What kind of
therapy/treatment program he or she recommends;
Whether it has proven effective for dealing with problems such
as yours;
What the benefits and side effects are;
How much therapy the mental health professional recommends; and
Whether he or she is willing to coordinate your care with
another practitioner if you are personally interested in
exploring credible alternative therapies, such as acupuncture.
Be sure the psychotherapist does not take a "cookie cutter"
approach to your treatment-what works for one person with major
depression does not necessarily work for another.
Different psychotherapies and medications are tailored to meet
specific needs.
Although the role of a therapist is not to be a friend, rapport
is a critical element of successful therapy. After your initial
visit, take some time to explore how you felt about the
therapist.
If the answers to these questions and others you come up with
are "yes," schedule another appointment to begin the process of
working together to understand and overcome your problems.
If the answers to most of these questions are "no," call
another mental health professional from your referral list and
schedule another appointment. What is the difference between
psychiatrists and clinical social workers?
Two kinds of therapists warrant special note: psychiatrists and
clinical social workers.
Psychiatrists are medical doctors and can prescribe medication.
Clinical social workers are trained in client-centered advocacy
and can assist you with information, referral, and direct help
in dealing with local, State, or Federal government agencies.
As a result, they often serve as case managers to help people
"navigate the system." Clinical social workers and many other
mental health professionals cannot write prescriptions. However,
nurse practitioners that specialize in psychiatry and mental
health can prescribe medication in most states. And, under a new
law, psychologists in New Mexico can prescribe medications after
receiving training (New Mexico State Legislature, 2002).