How to Find the Right Therapist for You

I was commiserating with a friend recently about how hard it can be to find the right therapist. She was spending hours researching therapists near her, and even after their websites and names had begun to all blur in her mind, she was still confused about how insurance coverage worked and whose credentials matched what she needed.

Believe it or not, I had a similar experience with finding a therapist, and I’m a therapist, myself! When I was looking a couple of years ago, I both felt like there were too many choices and no good options.

The last thing you need is more confusion about a process that's supposed to bring hope and change.

It’s such a shame that therapy seems elusive for so many given its many potential benefits. It really shouldn’t be this hard! You’re already busy and stressed and dealing with life drama or psychological symptoms. The last thing you need is more confusion about a process that is supposed to bring hope and change.

In the end, I got lucky by basically throwing a dart at the board and landing with a fantastic therapist. But I want to help you use a smarter strategy, so today’s episode is going to walk you step-by-step through the therapist finding process. Buckle up!

What’s the difference between a psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker, and therapist?

Therapists are a diverse bunch. We have different types of educational backgrounds, experience, specializations, and letters after our names. I won’t go into all the details of who’s who. For your goal of finding a good match, the most important things to know are:

• If you need medication, you need to see a psychiatrist (or another advanced practitioner who can prescribe and has a specialization in psychiatry). People with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, severe depression, or other severe psychiatric symptoms should definitely have a psychiatrist on their team. If you’re not sure whether you need medication, you can do an evaluation with a psychiatrist or psychologist to get their treatment recommendations.
   
• If you want some form of “talk therapy,” you’ll most likely want to see a clinical psychologist (Ph.D. or PsyD), a licensed clinical social worker, or licensed professional (or mental health) counselor.
   
• Not everybody is trained in every type of therapy, so if you specifically want CBT, psychodynamic therapy, or mindfulness, make sure to ask about their training and experience with this therapy.

Where do I start the search?

OK, you know what you're...

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