Here are some suggestions on how to find a counselor or psychotherapist you can work with.
Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: 1 week
Here's How:
- Ask your family doctor for a referral to a good therapist.
- Ask friends who may have seen a therapist for a recommendation.
- Check the web for therapists in your hometown (see Features below).
- As a last resort, look in the yellow pages or call your HMO's toll free number.
- Call the therapist's office and ask for an appointment - or ask if the therapist will call you back to talk.
- You may wish to conduct an interview with your therapist - share a bit about your problem and ask them questions about how they work.
- Find out if they accept your insurance, what their fee arrangements are.
- Make an appointment to start therapy.
Tips:
- You don't need to schedule an appointment if the therapist won't talk with you first.
- Treat the first session as a trial. The real agreement to do therapy starts after that session.
- You may want to write down a list of questions to ask.
