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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 can also
be rewarding and life changing.
What are the steps for choosing a therapist?
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Get two or three referrals before making an appointment. Specify age,
sex, race, or religious background if those characteristics are important
to you. See Where to find help.
4. 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?
5. 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.
6. If you are satisfied with the answers, make an appointment.
Some therapists will offer a 5-10 minute telephone conversation at no charge that will allow you to decide if it's a good fit. Ask. |
7. 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.
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 8. 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.
9. 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.
10.
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.
For more information:
For information on finding services in your area, visit the US Dept. of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration National
Mental Health Information Center.
Other Referral Sources
American Association of
Marriage and Family Therapy
American Association of
Pastoral Counselors
American Psychological
Association
National Association of
Social Workers
Mental Health America
Note: These
are suggested resources. This is not a complete list.
Related
articles
Alphabet soup:Guide to medical professionals
Which kind of therapy is right for me?
Where to find help
How to help your therapist help you
More
articles
Source:
SAMHSA's National Mental Health
Information Center
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