What to look for in a therapist

Have you decided to possibly go on the hunt for a counselor to help you work through some things?

Usually the first thing people do is search for a clinician who is “in-network” with their insurance, which means they are trying to find a therapist who accepts the insurance they have. This allows the client to bill their insurance for services and only pay a co-pay.

While this is a helpful tool when money is tight, it doesn’t guarantee you will receive the best services. Clients often start seeing whoever they are “assigned to” with an agency or other big mental health department. This also doesn’t guarantee quality of services, because you could be referred to someone who has an opening for you, but not someone who is trained and able to treat exactly what you need treated.

You wouldn’t take your Honda Civic to a Diesel mechanic….because that deisel mechanic may know enough to treat your Civic, but he specializes in Deisels. Wouldn’t you rather take your Civic to someone who specializes in Honda’s, or better yet, Civics?

Its the same with your mental health. Not all therapists are created equal. And we can’t all effectively treat everything.

For example, I would never feel competent treating someone with an eating disorder, or a substance abuse addiction. That’s not where my training and expertise lies. I could still help that person with general things, but I wouldn’t be able to go the long journey of full healing and recovery with them.

So do yourself a favor, and take the time to focus on THESE TWO main things when searching for a therapist. I promise you it will be worth it.