Let’s start with the first question “When should I see a therapist?” This is a great question! You may have had other questions or thoughts like
“No one gets what I am going through”,
“I can figure other things out, why can I not figure out why I am feeling this way?”,
“I am not sure how to change how I am feeling”,
“I hate these thoughts I have”,
“This is not how I used to be”,
“I know I want someone to talk to but I have not had any trauma or major things happen to me”,
And “there has to be another way to feel better”.
You may even feel that you do not have anyone to talk to and to share what you are going through.
It can be challenging when you know to enter therapy especially when it does not feel as apparent as a traumatic event or if you have never had a mental health diagnosis. And there might be other things feeling like they get in the way of prioritizing your mental health.
When you are asking yourself questions about improving mental health and want to prioritize that in your life, therapy is right for you. Therapy is beneficial to just about anyone. Therapy is an environment where you can meet with a professional who is a mutual party and where you can process, practice, develop skills, and more! Every therapist is different, what I like to tell my clients is that we all don’t get along with everyone to the point of building some type of relationship (right, we are not friends with everyone). We all have different personalities and what works best for you is when you feel safe and comfortable in therapy.
So I am ready to see a therapist near me, how can I find a therapist?
Finding a therapist can feel [insert emotion you are experiencing]! Here are a few questions to answer at any time during the search:
Do I want to see a therapist virtually or in-person?
Is using my insurance really important to me?
Is there a certain symptom, diagnosis, or modality I am looking for a therapist to specialize in? Or generally, what am I looking to address?
Let the search begin:
Search for a therapist in your state,
Therapists are bound by state boards of where they can practice.
See if they offer what type of therapy you are looking for (virtual, in-person, type of therapy practice, symptoms or diagnosis to address),
You can complete the search with any of the items above or all together in a search engine like Google, by professional websites (PsychologyToday, Zencare, TherapyDen, etc.), or even a friend may know someone.
This is a very broken down list of how to find a therapist, it is okay to search and look at therapist profiles. Therapy also is not a forever commitment. You can also meet with a therapist and meet with another one to see if you connect better with someone other than the first therapist you found in your search. I also like to reiterate, we all have different personalities and what works best for you is when you feel safe and comfortable in therapy.
Other helpful tips during your search:
Since this can be an overwhelming experience to look for a therapist, I know, I have been there myself! Try setting aside intentional time and limit that time.
Try to begin your search when you begin to feel something is “off”.
You don’t have to have all the answers when you come to therapy.
More helpful posts to come!
Blog Disclaimer - These posts are not meant to treat, diagnose, or serve as a replacement for therapy. If you are experiencing a mental health emergency, please contact your local crisis center or dial 911. Here are more immediate resources as well.