How to find the right Therapist in 5 steps- Tips from a Therapist | EU144

Are you feeling nervous at the moment? Does the idea of seeing family at the end of the year leave you feeling anxious? Have you been withdrawing from your loved ones and you’re not sure why? In this podcast episode, I talk about how to find the right Therapist in 5 steps. From how to find a therapist to which questions you should be asking in your first intake appointment. Summary How to find a great local therapist Research! How to figure out the finances Read the bios Which questions you should ask on the first call How to find a great local therapist You can find a local therapist in your area by going to Psychology Today. There you will enter your location and filter through which type of therapist you want. For instance, if you are struggling with anxiety or depression you would want to find a therapist that specializes in this issue. (Veronica Cisneros) There are several tabs on the website page that you can filter through to find the right therapist that meets your criteria. Research! We want to make sure we find the therapist that is right for you. (Veronica Cisneros) Looking at the tab “Types of Therapy” can be overwhelming, so doing a little bit of research will help you to find which approach could best fit you. For example, if you’re looking for someone to help you regulate your moods, communicate effectively, build confidence, and challenge or even stop your negative thinking, a therapist who specializes in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, that therapist would probably suit you best. (Veronica Cisneros) Although all therapists have gone through rigorous training, they don’t have the same approaches, so it’s important to identify what your therapist is trained in. How to figure out the finances If you can cover therapy out of pocket or you have PPO insurance, you can pick whomever you want as your therapist. Your therapist can provide you with a super bill, and you can send this over to your insurance company to seek reimbursement. Contact your insurance company to find out what the reimbursement percentage rate is. You will find that highly sought-after clinicians do not take insurance. The reason for this may be due to the therapist not wanting their treatments with their client to be dictated by an insurance company. There is a lot more freedom for the therapist to take a deeper dive into your life when they aren’t regulated by an insurance company. (Veronica Cisneros) Many people avoid insurance to maintain flexibility and privacy over their treatment. Insurance companies require a diagnosis and have access to sessions, which is not always ideal for every client. If you have PPO insurance, consider asking the following questions: How much does my plan cover for an out-of-network provider? Do I need approval from my primary physician? How many sessions does my plan cover per calendar year? What is my deductible and has it been met? For those that have an HMO, you will need to find a therapist that is paneled with your insurance company. This may be ideal for some as the payment for therapy is usually the amount of a co-payment. Read the bios Now that you have selected your favorite therapists, the next step is to read their bios: Does this person sound like someone you would like to meet and talk to? Do you find some of the things you struggle with are described in their bios? What is their background? If you like them, start by creating a list of at least five therapists to call. Which questions you should ask on the first ca