How to choose a therapist and a therapy approach?
Choosing a
Therapist
Choosing a
therapist can be an overwhelming task. One look in the yellow pages shows
lists of names, and not everyone lists in the yellow pages. One factor to
consider is that there are many possible credentials of therapists. Some
people identify themselves as therapists but do not have credentials that
require licensure within their state. In general, a licensed practitioner
will have been through a screening process that usually involves testing
within their field. The level of training is another consideration. There
are master's levels (social workers), doctorate levels (psychologists),
as well as medical doctorate levels (psychiatrists) who conduct
psychotherapy. Clinicians of various credentials may then have further
training within a specific area of psychotherapy, such as psychoanalysis.
If you think that you will need medication, it may be more fruitful to
see a psychiatrist who also performs psychotherapy. Because of cost
considerations, however, this option is not always feasible. Many
insurance plans will provide reimbursement for a master's level therapist
only, and fees are usually less than that for psychologists or
psychiatrists. If there is a specific treatment modality in mind, one
method of finding a therapist is to obtain referrals from professional
societies for that specific modality. If modality is not the issue of
concern, referrals can be obtained from a primary care physician.
Questions may be asked of the therapist over the phone and a consultation
arranged. If you are uncomfortable with the therapist after the
consultation, it is important to consider the reasons for your
discomfort. Sometimes individual psychological issues are projected onto
the therapist immediately and thus are avoided by failing to continue to
see the therapist. However, a fit with the therapist's style needs to be
achieved in order to develop a working relationship.
