4 Tips for Finding a Great Therapist
Therapy professionals believe that everyone should have access to a great therapist. However, finding the best provider for individual counseling in Orlando can be overwhelming and challenging. Our experts offer the following steps for finding the right therapist for you.
Start therapy when you are ready
There are many different reasons that people go to therapy. You do not necessarily need to be in crisis or have a mental illness diagnosis to see a therapist. For example, many people attend therapy sessions to improve relationship communication, cope with loss, heal from trauma, cope with the illness or loss of a loved one, learn coping skills for depression and anxiety, manage challenging life transitions, or receive career counseling. Your therapist is an impartial listener to support you and help you make positive life changes.
It is essential to be fully committed to the process to get the most from therapy. The process is not easy, and you may feel worse before you feel better since you are often dealing with hidden, complex emotions.
It may also help to consider why you are interested in therapy and what you want to gain from the process to find a therapist who is the best fit for your needs. Then, when you are ready, approach therapy with an open mind to transform your life effectively.
Find a therapist you feel comfortable talking to
Finding a therapist you trust that makes you feel at ease is the most critical part of the therapy experience. Finding someone you connect with who makes you feel comfortable being honest and open is the most important step to finding your provider. The most qualified therapy professional in the world cannot help you work through your issues if you do not feel safe sharing your thoughts and feelings with them.
Choose the right type of provider
When looking for a therapy provider, you might notice different titles and letters following their last name. These indicate the level of training the therapist has received and the services they are qualified to provide. The most common are:
- LMFT: Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (interpersonal relationship talk therapy)
- LMHC: Licensed Mental Health Counselor (talk therapy)
- LICSW: Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (talk therapy)
- CNS/NP: Certified Nurse Specialists and Nurse practitioners (licensed to prescribe medication)
- PhD/PsyD: Doctoral level psychologist (talk therapy)
- MD: Psychiatrist (licensed to prescribe medication, some provide talk therapy)
Determine your budget
Before looking for a therapist, decide how much money you are able and willing to invest into therapy. Fees for treatment can range widely based on your insurance plan and location. It is usually cheaper to see an in-network provider, but there are some situations when using an out-of-network provider makes sense.
Educate yourself on therapy approaches
Therapy has hundreds of approaches, so it can be a challenge to discover the most effective one for you. In addition, many therapists practice multiple approaches tailored to their client's needs. There are many schools of therapeutic thought and specialties within them. For example, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy focuses on developing skills to identify and transform negative actions and thinking. Psychodynamic Therapy focuses on relating the influence of past experiences with current emotions and actions. Specific models are considered best practices for certain conditions and require specialized education and training.
