First, good for you for getting out there and asking for help. Depending on your culture, upbringing, or the social messages you’ve absorbed about mental healthcare providers, deciding to go to therapy can be a challenging decision to come to. Give yourself a hand for taking an important first step.

Now that you’re looking, you’re probably noticing that the ocean of options is vast and seemingly endless when it comes to mental healthcare providers. Whether you’re brand new to therapy or looking to make a change, finding a new counselor or therapist can feel like an overwhelming task. Determining your priorities and what resources are available to you will help you create a roadmap for your mental healthcare journey. There are lots of things to consider when choosing a therapist, but following are three that can help you narrow your search right away.

Tips for Finding the Right Therapist for You

  1. Budget
    How much can you afford to spend on sessions? If you have insurance that’s covering your visits, determine how many visits they cover and ask for a list of providers in network. Also ask if they supplement the cost for out-of-network providers and get those details. If you don’t have insurance and you’re paying out of pocket, determine what you can afford to spend per month on sessions. The average therapy plan is often twice a month or once a week. Divide your monthly budget by 2 or 4 and then use that as a guide to searching for a therapist in your price range. Some therapists also offer sliding scale fees, student or military discounts, and other ways to help offset some of the cost. Investing in your mental healthcare is important, but so is paying your bills and putting food on your table. Deciding ahead of time what you can afford will make this part of the process a lot easier to navigate.If cost is a major factor, you may also consider finding an educator or health coach. Coaches are to therapists what personal trainers are to physicians. The cost for their time is sometimes lower, but many are not covered by insurance and they don’t provide the same type services or support that a therapist or counselor will be able to. Chatting with providers about what they offer can help you determine if this is a good resource, and an ethical coach or educator will refer to you to a therapist if that’s where your needs will best be met.
  2. Location (and, maybe, technology)
    During shelter-in-place, most mental healthcare providers are offering limited (or no) in-person office hours and have switched to tele-health formats for counseling sessions. This has created greater access to therapy for some but become a barrier to others who don’t have the technology or comfort level to engage in telehealth. Decide if you’re comfortable with telehealth (video conferencing for healthcare appointments), and if you have the technology to access it (a smartphone or computer with a camera and reliable internet service). Talk to potential healthcare providers about how they’re conducting their sessions to make sure it’s a good fit for you.
  3. Cultural Competency
    Not every therapist can be a specialist in everything. Look up potential counselors to get a sense of their competency and expertise around the areas most relevant to you. For example, if you’re living with a disability, finding a therapist who’s got experience or training working with folks living with disability will save you a lot of time as you build relationship with the person you chose to see. While it’s not reasonable to expect anyone to know everything that might be important about you, you don’t want to have to spend a lot of time educating your counselor on your identities or co-morbid healthcare conditions if you don’t have to. Finding someone with cultural competency around your identities and lifestyle means you can start getting to the heart of what brought you into their office in the first place.Additionally, consider their specialties. If you’re looking for support on trauma recovery, seek out a therapist who specializes in trauma recovery. If you’re looking for support on managing your ADHD, find a therapist who’s familiar with ADHD and has the tools to help you.This is also another time where looping in a coach or educator might be a good choice. For example, if you’re a transgender person who is seeking therapy for your anxiety and you find a therapist you really like who just doesn’t quite understand some of the issues around gender and sexuality that matter to you, encourage them to seek out and hire a sexuality educator who can help boost their professional skills toolbox around gender issues so you can spend your time with them focusing on a healthier relationship to your anxiety.

Considering these issues and other things that matter to you and think of some questions to ask during your initial consultations with potential new providers. Many folks have success creating an interview sheet that they bring to first appointments/first consultations to help guide their conversation. This can help you eliminate options that won’t work for you, even if the person is really nice, and focus on professionals who can best meet your needs.

Courtesy: Angel Russell, CSE

Ready to find your therapist? Search the Jax Therapy Network and find the right therapist for you.