How To Choose A Therapist

By Author: ben austen
Total Articles: 21
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Making that first critical step in deciding to seek therapy for any number of issues, including depression and anxiety, can also be one of the most daunting you’ll ever make.

But often getting therapy can mean the difference between life and death, so daunting or not, it may be your only choice for moving out of your funk and into the life you were meant to live.

When you are not feeling well, the last thing you want to think about is putting an effort into finding someone to talk to. But once you’ve decided to get help, you need to find a therapist who is going to be an appropriate match for you, available when you are and offers the skills and experience to help you cope with your issues.

Here are some of the most recommended tips for finding a therapist that is going to be best able to help you.

Start calling on your friends, family members, co-workers you trust, your pastor and or rabbi and ask them to refer you to someone they know or someone else knows. If you are a student, you likely have a school counselor on campus. Ask them for a referral to an outside therapist if they can’t offer ...
... you one.

Get online and make a list of five to six therapists who seem to be generally close to where you live. You don’t want to have to add driving across town for therapy if you don’t have to.
Have a two-to-three sentence description of your “issues” written out so you can quickly explain what’s going on to the therapist so you don’t waste too much time doing all the talking and, instead, you get to know them a little bit.

Call each of the therapists on your list and make sure they are willing to address the following:
Their educational background
Their area of focus
A list of testimonials and or referrals from other patients
What they charge and if they will work on a sliding scale
What their hours are and if you can also reach them after hours

Ask for a 30 minute free consultation in person, if possible, so you can meet potential therapists and get a feel for their personality, what their office feels like, how close it is to you and your work or home and if they are personable and you click with them.

Read their website, as many therapists will put their areas of focus, along with testimonials and other critical information here for you to read beforehand.

Compare all the details you gather about your list of potential therapists. Keep detailed information about how you were treated when you called their office? Was the receptionist friendly and helpful?

Chose the therapists you felt the most comfortable talking to about your personal problems, not the one that is necessarily the cheapest.

If you have insurance, make sure that the therapist you’ve chosen is listed as a covered provider before you agree to services.

Keep in mind, no two therapists are alike. They each will have their own set of personal issues and backstories working behind the scenes. You want to find a therapist that is an excellent listener, makes you feel comfortable from the first conversation and is experienced in dealing with the issues you are hoping to get their help with.

The bottom line is that the therapists will be working for you, just as any doctor, lawyer or dentist would. You have the right to “interview” them and get the information you need to make an informed decision about your therapy and who will be providing it.

Lastly, be patient! Once you’ve selected a therapists, don’t expect overnight changes or miracles. Some, in fact most issues require multiple visits before changes start to take place.

To know more about Nassau County Therapist please browse http://www.lempelsander.com/