How to Find a Therapist
If you have never had to look for a mental health provider before, you may be at a loss for how to get started. A few years ago, our office conducted an informal survey asking people how they would find a mental health provider if ever they needed one. Interestingly enough, the majority of people who responded said that they would ask their primary care physician for a referral. You might be wondering why this is surprising, but the truth is that the majority of people who come to our office do not find us through their primary care provider. In this short and sweet article, we’ll give you some super easy options for finding a therapist. After all, we want you to be able to access counseling services as quickly and seamlessly as possible.
Here are some options for finding a great therapist
1. Call your insurance company and request a list of mental health providers who accept your insurance.
You can specify the zip code where you would like your provider to be located and ask for providers with specific areas of expertise. Be prepared to make a number of phone calls if you go this route. After contacting your insurance company, you’ll need to call the different counseling practices to see if they are accepting new clients.
2. Do an internet search for mental health counselors in your town.
For example, individuals in the Greater Baltimore area might search for “counselors in Towson,” “trauma therapists in Towson,” or “psychotherapists in Baltimore.” From here, you’ll be able to check out the websites for different counseling practices. Make note of those whose style, language, and areas of expertise connect with you.
3. Search for a therapist using popular platforms such as PsychologyToday, TherapyDen, or TherapyTribe.
From these websites, you can search for providers who accept your insurance and who specialize in the type of counseling that you are seeking. You’ll usually have the option of calling these therapists or sending them a message through the website.
4. Ask your primary care doctor or psychiatrist for a referral to a therapist with experience in treating your specific issue.
Hopefully, your primary care doctor’s office has a relationship with local mental health providers they trust. If your doctor does not have a close working relationship with local therapists, you may want to do some research on the referrals they provide to see if they’re a good fit for you. If the referrals given to you are not a good fit, try one of these other options.
5. Get a referral by word of mouth.
At LifeSpring, many people call us saying that their friend or family member recommended our office. If you have a friend or family member who has had a positive experience at a particular counseling practice, you can certainly reach out to that office. Keep in mind that you may not want to (or be able to) see the same provider as your friend or family member at the same time.
Also, it’s important to know that a therapist who is a great fit for one person may not be for another. If you contact a group practice, they will be able to give you more than one option at their office.
6. Check out Social media.
With the rise in new technologies and social media platforms, more and more mental health providers can be found sharing content on social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram. When you follow these accounts, you can gauge the counseling practice’s style, specialties, and passions. LifeSpring Counseling Services, for example, can be found on Facebook @lifespringcounselingservices and @lifespring_md on Instagram. After following a therapist or counseling practice on social media, make sure that you reach out to them by phone or email if interested in scheduling an appointment. Many providers encourage you to reach out using these professional channels, rather than through social media where your message might be overlooked.
It’s worth the effort!
Finding a mental health provider typically requires a little bit of work on your end. Making phone calls, leaving voice messages, playing phone tag, and sending emails are all part of the process. Please know that once you’ve found a provider who is a good fit for you, you’ll be glad that you put in the effort.
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Interested in Counseling for Anxiety, Depression, Trauma, or Grief and Loss in the State of Maryland?
If you’re a Marylander who knows that counseling is the direction you need to take, the therapists at LifeSpring Counseling Services are here to help. We offer online counseling services for mindfulness, depression, anxiety, trauma, and grief and loss. We also offer Brainspotting as a specialized service, and Brainspotting can be done online, too!
Here’s how you can get started! Online counseling for depression, anxiety, trauma, and grief aren’t the only services offered at our Maryland office
The counselors and social workers at our Maryland office also offer counseling services for trauma, grief and loss, boundary setting, communication skills, and difficult life transitions. We also offer specialized counseling services including Brainspotting and spiritually-integrated counseling. Because we are located next to several local universities, we also work with college students and international students.
Written by: Melissa Wesner, LCPC
Photos: Yura Fresh on Unsplash
Date of Download: 7/21/2020
