Are you wondering how to find a therapist this year? Join the line, folks! If you’re here, you’re committed to your health. CONGRATS! This post will walk you through some super useful tips on how to find a therapist in 2024.
This post is all about how to find a therapist.
Full disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. These tips are ones that I have personally tried and found useful for my own mental health needs. If you are in crisis, please seek help from a medical professional or call 911 if you’re in immediate danger of harming yourself or others.
1. Consider what you want out of therapy
Do you want to see a therapist one on one? Do you want to go to group therapy?
Do you want to work through a particular issue and/or figure out what issues you might be dealing with?
Do you want a therapist you can vent to? Do you want to talk medications and establish a broad team of professionals to support your mental health?
These are some good questions to ask yourself as you look for a therapist.
2. Study your insurance policy
While it’s really tempting to just book an appointment with the first therapist you see online, I highly recommend checking out what your insurance covers first.
There are plenty of websites (like Zoc Doc or websites created by your insurance network) that allow you to easily search for therapists in your network. That way, you’ll be able to find someone who can take your insurance.
Make sure you establish how much the co-pay is (if you have to pay one) before you make your first appointment.
And before all those naysayers start harping on about the cost… there are many therapists out there who have a 0 dollar copay. My best advice is to do the work and research low cost option through your network. It’ll probably take 2-3 hours over several days to establish the nuts and bolts and make an appointment, but that’s not a lot of time given how much you’ll likely get out of therapy.
3. Ask for advice
Ask family, friends, or colleagues you’re close to, where they sought a therapist if they have one.
Some of the best things in life come from word of mouth, so it’s worth asking people you can trust if they have recommendations.
4. Explore low-cost, local options
When I lived in New York on an incredibly limiting visa (I could only work part time on my university’s campus for nine months of the year on a minimum wage job), I had the shittiest health insurance. The whole thing cost around $200/year and I prayed (literally) that I’d never have to it. (Side note: if you have a US passport, your life is instantly easier when it comes to getting healthcare.)
Why do I tell this story? Well, I still managed to get a therapist even with my horribly low income and shitty health insurance.
Here’s my secret tip: check out universities. Oftentimes, they will offer therapy in the form of therapists who are doing their training year after getting qualified.
Are you going to get the best, most experienced therapist on the planet? No. But it’s a heck of a lot better than no therapist at all.
5. Check credentials
Where did your therapist go to school? What’s their niche? How much experience do they have?
It’s tempting to just see the first therapist whose available, but are they the right fit for you?
Figure out your therapist’s educational qualifications and whether they fit with your needs.
6. Keep reaching out
Did you leave a voicemail for the therapist’s office two days ago? Call. them. back.
People give up way to easily when it comes to scheduling medical appointments.
Yes, it’s annoying and stressful when the receptionist doesn’t call you back. But guess what? You’re dealing with people and people aren’t perfect. Be patient and politely persist – they will get back to you.
7. Don’t settle
If your gut tells you that your therapist is not right for you, listen to it.
I had a therapist who was consistently late, would show up with wet hair (she had clearly just jumped out the shower), and once missed my appointment entirely. She was also super sulky and wouldn’t tell me her last name(?).
If your therapist isn’t working for you, find one that deserves you.
This post is all about how to find a therapist.
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