Six Easy Steps To Find Therapy Help
Congratulations, you’ve chosen to seek a trained, professional ‘guide’ on your life’s journey. The most intelligent and balanced people I know seek therapeutic intervention on occasion. That comment includes this writer, a retired psychotherapist.
Step #1 — How Do You Begin?
Start by identifying your issues and related symptoms. Spend a few days jotting a list of your stressors and symptoms into a journal or log. This simple technique will identify your emotional issues, whether physical or anxiety-laden.
Step #2 — Call Out Your Issues with Clarity.
Does it appear that you struggle with drugs or alcohol? Food addiction? Intermittent anxiety? Are you arguing with your partner, spouse, parent, or children? Do you have work-related stress? Unresolved issues from childhood?
Step #3 — Choose Your Avenue.
Would you prefer to address your issues with your therapist alone, as part of a couple, in a group setting, in person, or via video conferencing? Once you have made this decision, it’s time to consult google.com.
Step #4 — Know What Those Letters Mean.
There are many different, confusing categories of professionals who provide psychotherapy. Psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, marriage & family therapists, clinical counselors, religious counselors, and life coaches all state that they can provide this service for you.
Psychotherapists are not interchangeable; their work is only as fabulous as they are emotionally healthy. The differences between their training are vast.
Psychiatrists are medical doctors who completed med school and chose psychiatry as their specialty. They can diagnose mental health conditions and write prescriptions should you need psychiatric medication. The disease process is what doctors are trained in, not usually prevention or therapeutic treatment. Psychiatrists can also admit patients to the hospital should they require in-patient hospitalization. A visit with this type of doctor will cost between $100.00-$300.00 and is often partially covered by insurance.
Psychologists usually have M.A. after their name. It signifies a Master of Arts degree with a focus in psychology. A Ph.D. after their name demonstrates that they have earned a higher degree, a doctorate in psychology. Their forté is in completing psychological evaluations and writing reports. Usually, they also have completed some training in psychotherapy. A typical session will cost $150.00 — $250.00 depending on your needs and in which state you reside. Insurance may help defray the costs. National and State Licensing is necessary for practice.
Social Worker Therapists usually have a master of arts degree (MSW) in social work or a master of science degree (MSSW). Their training includes the ability to diagnose and treat many issues related to mental health, including behavioral and emotional problems. ACSW following their name signifies that they have accreditation through their professional, national organization, The National Association of Social Workers. Licensure in the state they practice is imperative and will look like LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker). Expect an hourly rate between $100 — $200. Insurance may offset the fee.
Marriage & Family Counselors, Dependency Counselors, and Clinical Counselors usually have earned a master of science (M.S.) degree in their chosen specialty. These counselors must be licensed in their state and belong to a national professional organization. Expect fees between $100.00 — $150.00 per hour based on specialty.
Religious counselors need to have obtained a master’s degree with a specific emphasis on religious beliefs. Pastoral counselors can charge a fee for their service, but many do not. Insurance may not apply.
Life Coaches are a relatively new category to consider when choosing a therapist. A Life Coach needs to have completed an accredited course in learning how to create life goals and support the individual along their journey. Fees can range from $100.00 — $500.00 per session. I struggle with this category as I believe a trained psychotherapist must attend a qualified advanced degree college to thoroughly understand diagnoses and verified treatments.
Step #5 — Psychotherapists are like Orthopedists.
If you need a knee replacement, you find an orthopedist to perform the surgery. The doctor chooses the technique and implant design from hundreds on the market. My husband is a total joint replacement designer and surgeon; therefore, this comparison is natural for me.
When you choose a psychotherapist, a similar process occurs. Like the surgeon, the psychotherapist uses the techniques and interventions with which they were trained and are the most familiar. You must know what the most likely options are. These are the five main types of psychotherapy, according to medicinenet.com.
Psychoanalysis: This therapeutic technique is usually visualized when someone thinks of going to a ‘shrink.’ The patient lays on a couch and talks away while the psychiatrist listens and writes on a pad. Dr. Sigmund Freud developed this process to uncover the unconscious root of a person’s symptoms. The practitioner then assists the patient in applying this understanding to their life. This is not the most common form of therapy.
Psychodynamic Therapy: This therapy focuses on altering troubling behavior, feelings, and thoughts by uncovering their unconscious meanings and motivations. Exploring the impact of marriages, deaths, births, and previous relationships helps clients understand their choices based on their pasts.
Behavioral Therapy: This group of therapies is based on the understanding that all behaviors are learned. Therefore the focus is to change unhealthy or harmful behaviors with the proper stimuli and program.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy looks at changing the client’s thoughts and beliefs to address mood and behavior issues.
Aversion Therapy uses education to connect an active problem to a triggering unpleasant memory. Example: The smell of alcohol to a memory of childhood abuse.
Systematic Desensitization utilizes relaxation techniques, such as guided imagery and clinical hypnosis to help clients overcome phobias by giving them new tools.
Cognitive Therapy: This therapeutic intervention understands that negative thinking creates harmful behaviors. Therefore, the therapist focuses on what clients think instead of what they do. Proponents of the Law of Attraction use this therapy when suggesting that negative thoughts draw negative people, noting that the opposite is also true.
Client-Centered Therapy: This method is my favorite and the one I typically used in my practice and still utilize in my life. By focusing on and believing in a client’s ability to make rational choices, the therapy helps them become the best version of themselves. Also called Humanistic Therapy, the client remains the authority of their inner experiences, and the therapist values their input and awareness.
Note that most therapists combine two of these methods in their work.
Step #6 — Go back to the hunt.
Look for psychotherapists in your area. Note their degrees (which you now understand) and who offers one-on-one, couples, video, or group therapy. Then place the call and ask whoever answers about the practitioner’s specialty and how many years they’ve been in practice. Request a three-minute phone call to understand their therapeutic style and determine if you think they will be a good fit for you. Ask about fees, sliding scales, and insurance. If everything feels in place, then make the appointment.
Congratulations on making an informed decision and taking the first step toward your bright future. You are already ahead of 90% of the population. Most people never research the person who will hold their goals and hopes in their hands. I’m proud of you.
Look for Part Two: What to expect in your first session.
