Finding The Right Therapist – Key 2: You’re special enough for a specialist!
The easiest way to think about this is to consider your physical healthcare needs. Most people, today, have a general physician or family doctor that oversees their general medical healthcare. But, when that doctor suspects a problem with a specific organ or body system, they send you to a specialist-- someone with additional training and experience in diagnosing and treating that issue. You want the person with the most expertise in your problem to treat your symptoms for the best outcome. Same is true with mental health!
Not every psychotherapist treats every problem.
Key 1 helped to narrow down the field by focusing on the different types of psychotherapists and the general populations and issues they treat. But, Key 2 is all about finding the person who specializes in your specific problem!
When it comes to the most common mental health diagnoses, such as depression and anxiety, most psychotherapists are qualified to treat those. Think of those as the common colds and UTI’s of mental health. Almost every provider has had substantial training that qualifies them to treat those common, yet significant, conditions. While each provider may have a different approach or plan for treatment, most select from the same menu of best practices to achieve effective results.
However, when it comes to less common mental health problems, you want someone who has received additional training in treating that issue. Such training might include continuing education classes, supervision by an expert in that area, additional certifications, or years of professional experience with proof of effective outcomes. You want someone who knows how to treat your problem well-- effectively and efficiently-- with proven success.
So how do you find your special specialist? Here are some steps. . .
You can do a general google search for: (psycho)therapist in {my area} that treats {this issue}. You will likely end up with a list of websites or a directory of professionals. Psychology Today is one of the most common online referral directories. There you will find profiles of professionals that will likely list their specialities. You can read about them and their credentials. But, don’t stop there…
Ask people for referrals. Start with your psychiatrist, general physician, or pediatrician who may know of respectable people that provide therapy for your concern. Also, consider key people who work in that broad area of interest that might have a good network of contacts. For instance, if it is a learning issue, ask the school counselor or a teacher for referrals. If it is a spiritual issue, ask your pastor to point out resources. If it is a neurological or developmental problem, ask your neurologist or physical therapist about psychotherapists whom they know and trust. Marital or family issues? Ask your gynecologist, daycare provider, or local youth bureau or family center about who they would recommend. Finally, if you have a friend, co-worker, church member, or other acquaintance that has also experienced this problem, and you are brave enough to share that you struggle too, ask them if they found anyone that was helpful.
Google the problem you are having. Look for people who have written or spoken about the topic. Might be a news interview, a guest speaker at an event, a blog, a Facebook post, a Youtube video, an educational pamphlet, a class they taught. . . people who write or speak about topics generally have a good background in that area and have built a reputation for treating that issue.
Now you have a list of potential providers. Take the time to go to their websites or Google their names and see if they list the published materials or videos about your issue and how they treat it. If they don’t even mention it on their website, chances are they might be willing to treat the issue, but don’t actually “specialize” in it. If they have some sort of expertise you will likely see it noted on their website as a certification or advanced training, discussed in a blogpost, or described in their list of services. You should get a sense that they know what they are talking about and treating!
Schedule a quick consult… But, the reality is, not everyone has the time or resources to create awesome websites or blog or do interviews. Some of the best therapists are so busy helping clients and treating the problem, that they have no time for fancy websites, directory listings, or writing and speaking. So, one last step. . . call and interview them. Yep-- you can and should interview your psychotherapist. If you are going to trust this person with your mental health and most precious relationships, you deserve to know that they are qualified and capable. I’m not talking about an hour long job interview or sneaking in a free session. But, most professionals are willing to give you 10-15 minutes of their time to answer your questions, tell you about their practice, and give you a general sense of how they might be able to meet your needs.
So, now you know how to evaluate professional qualifications and seek out a specialist, but how do you narrow down the list to find the best fit for you? Next, we’ll look at finding the best match for you!
