7 Things to Think About When Choosing A Therapist

Getting the mental health support you need can be a daunting task, made harder still by the fact that you’re not feeling 100%. For many, choosing a therapist is the first step, but just picking a name off of a list feels too risky. This article, shared with Cooks Who Care by Dr. Paulette Sherman, will help you learn how to make an informed decision when deciding which therapist will be the best fit.

7 Things to Think About When Choosing a Therapist:

You may be considering going to therapy, and it’s new for you.? One definition of therapy is a variety of treatments that help a person identify and change troubling behavior, thoughts and emotions.? It can also be used to improve your relationships, increase self-esteem, learn skills, work through unresolved trauma and even to pursue your dreams.? You are the Source of all you do, so spending time getting to know yourself and optimizing your functioning is generally a great investment.

Finding a good therapist is very important.? This is someone with whom, hopefully, you will trust with your fears, deepest feelings, traumas and dreams.? If you have not done therapy before, you may not know what to expect or how to find such a person.? You may be reticent to ask people that you know.? Having said this, you may be surprised how many people are actually in therapy or have had this experience, and referrals are another great way to find a good therapist.? But, some people may prefer to keep this experience private, so I will suggest a few tips here that may help you successfully navigate this terrain.??

Here are 7 things to think about when choosing a therapist:

1. Consider what you need first-

Like with most things, everyone is different.? People go to therapy for different reasons.? They may want something short or long-term.? They may go to therapy to resolve a particular issue or for greater introspection, self-knowledge or growth.? They may go to therapy alone, with a partner or as a family.

Therapists have different backgrounds, personal experiences, education, professional experiences, specialties and personalities.? They have been practicing different lengths of time and with different populations.? You may prefer a woman or a man, someone of the same age or ethnicity, someone who specializes in your issue or has a particular set of skills or education.? It is best to do some research into what will best suit you.

Also, therapists have different levels of education.? A psychologist has a doctorate degree.? A social worker often has a masters degree.? A person with LMFT after their name has a masters degree in family therapy.? Often therapists may have specialized training.? So, a couples therapist may have Gottman training and a therapist who works with clients with Borderline Personality disorders may have DBT training. These are things that you can educate yourself about.

Do you want to do Zoom sessions or do you want to see someone locally, and in person?

It may be good to journal about the issues that you are coming in with, what you hope to resolve in therapy and the qualities that you most want in a therapist.? This gives you some clarity and a place to start.

2. How Will You Fund it?

Therapy is a commitment and it requires that you put it in your ongoing budget.? Some therapists require full payment, some have sliding-fee scales based on income and others take insurance.? Do not assume a therapist will accept your insurance or you may end up with a bill.? It is best to get clear on what is possible for you payment-wise first.? Then, when you inquire, you can find a match and know the payment options upfront.

Keep in mind that if you do intend to use insurance, the therapist will need to give you a diagnosis code based upon your presenting symptoms.? The insurance companies do require this if you use insurance.? Then, often you will have a co-payment and your insurance will pay your therapist for the rest of your session.? It will all depend on your insurance benefits.? You will need to provide your therapist or their biller with your insurance card.? To find therapists who accept your insurance, look in your directory.? You can also check the therapist's Psychology Today Therapist Directory profile to see if they accept insurance. It may also say so on their website.

If you are paying full fee, you can check whether your therapist offers a package rate that is less if you purchase ten sessions upfront.

As an example, I take mostly full fee clients and allow them to charge their credit card, so they can pay me but also pay their credit card back over time, as needed.??

3. Where to Find Them?

I already mentioned that you can look up your insurance directory to find therapists, as well as try the Psychology Today Therapist directory, where therapists have essays describing how they work.? Here is an example of a therapist profile, using my own:? https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/paulette-kouffman-sherman-new-york-ny/53747 ?

In addition, sites like Thriveworks have a secretary who will answer the phone and help you match with a therapist who has your specialty and time slot needed.? There are sites like Grow NY where you can read therapist profiles, specialties and book them on the online calendar.

Also, make sure that with Zoom and online therapy that the therapist is licensed in your state.? I am licensed as a psychologist in NY and PA so I can see clients for online therapy in both states but currently only accept insurance (sometimes) for NY clients.??

4. Consider Groups-

If individual therapy is expensive for you weekly, you can also consider group therapy.? When I host a dating or relationship group, a divorce group or a stress-skills group, I often charge $40 a session, which is much cheaper than individual therapy.? Groups are beneficial as they make you feel less alone, you learn about similar issues from others and feel validated, heard and can learn valuable skills.? For example, I may charge $250 per couples session but only charge $100 per couple for an ongoing couple skills group.? This then becomes a valuable and much more affordable option.

5. Shop Around-

No therapist is perfect but since they are an important person in your life, it's worth the time to get a good match for your issues, temperament and needs.? It is appropriate to try out 2-3 therapists to get a feel of what will work best.??

6. Give Them Time-

Once you choose a therapist, it’s important to give it time, because therapy is a process.? Every session might not be a revelation but overtime changes occur.? So, you should be patient and give the process at least a few months.

7. Give Feedback about what you need-

You can tell your therapist what you’d like to accomplish in treatment and the type of support you need.? You can tell them how much feedback you want in sessions and if you want homework to work on in between sessions.? You can ask whether they will sometimes let you bring in your spouse and how they work.? If you prefer Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or a psychoanalytic approach, it’s good to ask the therapist about their education, skills and approach in the first few sessions to make sure it’s a match.

Bio:

Dr. Paulette Sherman is a psychologist, a certified empowerment coach, the author of 26 books in 8 languages, the host of The Love Psychologist podcast and a teacher and speaker.? Paulette has been a therapist for 20 years.? She specializes in dating coaching and couples therapy, online and in person.? She also offers weekend marital retreats through Couples Therapy Inc in PA and NY, both online and in person.? She has Advanced Gottman couples therapy training, Discernment Counseling training and Hypnosis training. She has been quoted as a relationship expert in the NY Times, Redbook, Oprah Magazine, Spirit and Destiny, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Guideposts Magazine, Elle and more.? She was featured on Fox news, Channel 11, the Early Show and many radio shows.? She’s a wife and mother of two.? Her website is www.DrPauletteSherman.com ?

Cooks Who Care is a Philadelphia-based not for profit organization focused on supporting mental health in the Food & Beverage Industry. In 2022, we launched the Cooks Who Care Community Fund to offer mini grants for food service workers in need of mental health support services, and published our first-ever Community Cookbook as a fundraising initiative for this fund. The digital edition is available on Amazon Kindle and as a Direct Download, with the print edition coming soon! Our online raffle - a collaboration with The Pineapple Club, River Twice & Her Place Supper Club to grow the fund even faster - is live now until March 30th. Enter today for chances to win unique culinary experiences while showing your support for mental health. Enter here → https://go.rallyup.com/cookswhocare/Campaign/Details