How do you find a therapist?

[JoitheArtist]

I decided, after realizing that I am a mess and actually *can't* sort it out on my own, that I need to start seeing a therapist. My last two counseling situations did not go well, but I'm willing to try again. The thing is, I have no clue how to find a therapist that will work well with me. Can anyone who has experience with this help me out?

[Der Cute]

Are you on insurance? If so: there usually is a website for the insurance company, for you to do a search on. It does depend a bit on what kind of therapy you're looking for: Family counseling, Marriage counseling, specified mental illness, generic counseling etc.

Also, ask your current general doctor. If you say, "Hey, Dr. Jones, I'm looking for a therapist to help me work on Issue. Know anyone?" If they do, great, if not...they MIGHT have a place to start.

A lot of this is just plain legwork on your own end. I looked for WEEKS to get help for one huge issue I had. I called and called and called and called...*groan*

Shit, start looking in the phonebook or a search engine. city, liscensed therapist, issue...something like that. Another thing to look for is word of mouth. But..if you're not sure what the issue is, it's hard to start.
Ask your own doc first. Start there. I'd not say you need a psychologist or psychiatrist, but a therapist first. If you've got your own insurance, use them for a starting point. Call around. "are you taking any new patients? Yes? Do you take X insurance? Yes, great. I'd like to sched an appt soon."

New patients, Insurance, Your Issue, when can you be seen? Those are pretty important there.

It boils down to start calling, decide how soon you really need to be seen, who can work with your insurance. Be prepared to call call call, leave messages, and get called back later. Keep a log sheet!!!

Good luck.

http://psychcentral.com/blog/archive...apist-reviews/

[ArcticChicken]

When my mom was looking for a therapist she first got a list of people who took her insurance, then asked a therapist friend for recommendations off the list. Then she called them all and chatted about her issues a bit with them and asked if they thought they'd be a good fit. Of course, there were only four or five therapists in town who took her insurance, so it wasn't a long list.

[Seshat]

My current therapist is actually called a 'mental health nurse'.

Recommendations from people who know you would be the best option - I met mine through my GP (family doctor).

A has had several therapists, she's found them through her GP, through her psychiatrist, and her current one shares a practice with my therapist. (We book our sessions together: she goes into one office, me into the other.)

Failing that, it really is the thing depressed or socially anxious people find really #*(#^$ing hard to do: call around, talk to the therapists available to you, and find someone you think you can work with.

On the plus side, therapists know each other. If you find one and they're not really a good fit for you; they can often recommend someone.
A sensible therapist knows that their techniques and their personality just aren't going to match with all patients; and is happy to help try to find someone whose techniques and personality does. So they'll study you while they're talking with you, then give you a couple of names and numbers of people who they think will be a better match.

[SailorMan]

A few years back, I came across a book that really helped toward overcoming my shyness. I wish I could remember the title or the name of the author -- all I remember is that it had a yellow cover.

Anyway, it propounded a type of psychology called Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. It basically says that how we think about an 'activating event' determines how we feel about that event. It really assisted in helping me get over my shyness, by changing the way I viewed things that happened to me. I think that this kind of therapy might help a depressed person -- but, of course, everyone has to proceed in a way that 'fits' themselves. Anyway, here's a link about the subject: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cogniti...vioral_therapy

[ArcticChicken]

Failing that, it really is the thing depressed or socially anxious people find really #*(#^$ing hard to do: call around, talk to the therapists available to you, and find someone you think you can work with.

I think the only reason mom was able to make her phone calls was that I've been talking to her for a couple months about getting a therapist, and I was visiting her at the time.

Joi, is there someone there that you trust and can get to sit with you and maybe hold your hand while you make calls? Is there someone here that you trust who could be on the other end of Skype?

[JoitheArtist]

Well, right now I have neither a doctor nor insurance, so this may not be a possibility at this time. I was really hoping to try therapy again, because this meltdown has shown me 1: how messed up I really am, and 2: that most people don't live like this. I'll keep looking online, since that's low-stress and gives me a lot of variety. I dunno, maybe someone in the area does really cheap options for people on unemployment...

[fireheart]

Some places may also do a sliding scale.

[Der Cute]

Joi, the doctor is just a place to give you some direction, not required. The insurance? Well, there are a lot of mental health clinics all over the place. You just have to be a squeaky wheel to get in sometimes.
Call around/search online for clinics in your area, sliding scale, free for low income. Also check out a local university and see if there are any grad psych students doing this? Call around to general low income clinics; those usually have a psych person. Do you know any social workers, or interact with them on forums?
Do you have any disabilities that are documented? Those sometimes can get you into a place for help, then add on your own stuff.
You HAVE to keep trying. Give your self a goal: at least 4 phone calls to other places by the end of a week. (you WILL need to keep a log, I have to call around and forget who's what by the end of a week)

Nobody knows your issues like you do. YOU HAVE TO ADVOCATE FOR YOURSELF. Nobody else will do it, you HAVE to keep on them. When you start getting hits back for your calls, try to find a gen psych person. I don't know if you've been diagnosed anywhere with anything, and if the person can't help you, they WILL direct you to a better suited place.

PM me what city you live in. I might be able to find some things.

[dragon_wings]

Shortly after my roomie moved here her panic attacks started getting worse and more frequent. It was only through hounding the local low income clinic that she finally got the paper work and an appointment to see a doctor.
Granted she has issues beyond her depression and anxiety but she didn't give up.
She's gone to two appointments with a MD and will be making an appointment with a therapist within the next week (she has to go in next Wednesday to fill out the paperwork that will allow her to make an appointment).
I totally second the suggestion to search for a low cost/low income clinic. Roomie got a wavier saying couldn't pay for either of her appointments (but was threatened with a canceled appointment if she-read: me-doesn't have the money next time ).

[Seshat]

2: that most people don't live like this.

That's the one I find hardest. Also 3: I don't 'deserve' to live like this.
(yes, folks, your friendly neighbourhood Seshat keeps feeling that she suffers because she 'deserves' to for some reason.)

Ahem.

Joi, the others have given suggestions that I can't (since Medicare/Australia's socialised health system ensures that we have access to this stuff).

However, if you decide to try Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, and can't find an affordable living-therapist, the Australian National University tried an online therapy system.

The ANU developed it because Australia has plenty of people who live hours or even days of ground-travel away from flesh-and-blood medical help; and even then the medical help may be a single GP (family doctor).

It's been successful, and it's available for free to anyone in the world. It isn't a miracle-cure, it won't be enough if your specific problems do require neurochemical adjustment: but a high enough percentage of participants find it helpful that I think it's worth pointing you at it.

Moodgym

[Solumina]

Clinical Social Workers are every bit as qualified as psychologists but cost a whole lot less and are used to working with people who are uninsured/under-insured.

Finding a therapist can be very difficult, there are a lot of things that have to fit, not just them having the experience necessary the help you with your problem but your personalities also have to work together. As others have said therapists are aware of this and any good ones will be happy to recommend someone else if you don't feel like that are a good fit.

Just remember that the time, effort, and money are worth it to be able to be happy. You deserve to be happy, there will always be stress and things that aren't perfect, that is life but that shouldn't keep you from enjoying life to its fullest. I wish you the best of luck.

[fireheart]

<snip>

It's been successful, and it's available for free to anyone in the world. It isn't a miracle-cure, it won't be enough if your specific problems do require neurochemical adjustment: but a high enough percentage of participants find it helpful that I think it's worth pointing you at it.

Moodgym

I've used that program before. It DOES work.

[Zaiida]

Ooh Nifty thanks for the link Seshat.

[Shangri-laschild]

Ask around for recommendations. For instance, my town has a live journal community online. Stuff like that or people you know in person. My best friend doesn't see anyone but he used to date a girl who saw someone who worked really well for her. He found out the name so I could call her and the therapist has worked out very well for me. Keep in mind when you are asking around that there are different therapy styles. My therapist tends to help me guide me while I do most of the work. It is good for me because I learn about myself best when I can sort of talk it out and her guiding me helps me get better productiveness out of it and have better focus. Granted other than the lady when I was in high school who would simply up my depression meds or change them if I wasn't feeling all that great, I've never dealt with anything like this before. Because of that I don't have much experience with different types of therapists but just try to keep in mind what kind of therapist you're looking for when you're looking around and getting recommendations.