Your Mental Health: Finding a Good Therapist

Sometime in your life, you might feel the need to seek assistance from a mental health professional. As you begin to look for just the right specialist, there are several factors to consider. Inquiring about a few basic issues will help you select the best therapist for your needs. Talking with the professional by phone or in an initial session will give you an idea as to whether you feel comfortable enough to pursue therapy with him/her.

Factors to Consider When Seeking a Mental Health Professional

--Education background. It's advisable to be informed about the professional's educational background. Do they have a master's degree, a Ph.D., or a Psy. D.? Do they have just 1 additional year of schooling beyond a bachelors' or 2 or 3 years more of an intensive clinical program?

--Years of experience in mental health practice. Find out how many years of counseling/therapy experience the therapist has. As with any other profession, the length of experience can make the difference in a good therapist and a great one.

--Licensure/credentials. It should be easy to determine if the therapist you plan to call has the proper licensure to practice therapy in your state. Most states have some type of credentialing process for mental health professionals. Licensed therapists have most likely completed a plan of coursework deemed necessary by a panel of experts and have passed the state's licensure test to receive the credential.

--Formal complaints or disciplinary action history. Check on your state's credentialing website to see if a therapist you're interested in has had complaints filed against her or undergone disciplinary action as a result of her professional actions.

Questions to Ask When Seeking a Good Mental Health Professional

After you narrow your list of possible therapists, call their offices and make some general inquiries of office staff. Consider the following:

--Can you receive a copy of the therapist's resume listing prior experience in the field? Many therapists make copies of their resume available in the reception areas at their offices.

--Does the therapist have experience dealing with the type of concerns you are currently experiencing (such as depression, marital concerns, or an acting-out teenager in the family)?

--Is it possible to speak on the phone for a few minutes with the therapist? If so, you can pose your questions directly, plus get a feel for the professional.

How to Find the Therapist That's Right for You

If you determine the above information, you'll have a reasonable idea about whether a therapist you checked out is a good fit for you. Also, if you spoke with the therapist by phone, even for a few minutes, you might have gotten a first impression about your level of comfort with him.

Typically, people do not openly discuss seeing a therapist the way they might talk about going to the doctor or dentist, so a word-of-mouth recommendation might not be possible in this instance. However, in the event you have a friend or family member who had therapy in the past, you might be able to gain info and an opinion about the therapist visited.

Frankly, one of the best ways to see if you like a therapist is to schedule and attend an appointment with him/her. Usually by the end of a 45-minute session, most people have a feel for their comfort levels with a therapist. However, don't be surprised if it takes 2 or 3 sessions before you are truly relaxed with a therapist given the experience can initially be uncomfortable for some.

You can be successful in finding a good mental health professional. If you consider the professional's experience and credentials, ask some questions, and attend a session with a qualified therapist, you'll most likely be able to determine if you've found the therapist who can best provide you with therapeutic support and address your concerns.

Source

Professional experience.