Finding Professional Help

Too often people see a therapist without knowing much about the person short of the fact they were in the yellow pages or found them on-line. A good reference from your doctor, your healthcare provider or someone you respect is a great way to start. Certainly an important factor is to make sure they have the proper credentials Remember there has to be a good fit for your therapy to be most effective. If you don t like the person you are seeing it will only add to your challenges. Selecting a therapist or psychiatrist should be similar to selecting a partner. You should like and respect the person before you decide to open up to them, take their advice and help you make sense of your situation.

Therapists or Psychiatrist, what is the difference?

People with depression often see both but this can certainly get expensive depending on your coverage. Psychiatrists are doctors who usually prescribe antidepressants and counsel patients in therapy and normally more expensive. Therapists tend to be psychologists, social workers or counselors with lower hourly rates than a psychiatrist. You should contact your health insurer first to see what types of care they cover. If you are not covered for psychological therapy you can look for a therapist who may offer you a better price based on your income. This is tough to find but is worth the effort. You can also call the Mental Health Center or Social Services office in your town or city for information.

How to find the right Therapist or a Psychiatrist

Ask your health care provider, your doctor, a trusted and respected friend or a family member for a recommendation is usually a great place to start. You can also go on-line and research organizations such as the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) or the Center for Mind-Body Medicine (CMBM) which are great resources to help you find help in your area. Your therapist should be a licensed psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker, psychiatric nurse, or counselor. Please do your research before and make an educated decision.

What qualities to look for

Like other professionals, therapists and psychiatrists have different qualities and use different approaches to treat their patients. Some focus on a more practical approach while others like to go deeper into events from your past that could have played a role in your depression. Talk to your potential therapist or psychiatrist and ask about his or her approach to see if it s a good fit for you If it’s not or they are reluctant to discuss this with you, find someone else. You may also want to look for someone who specializes in particular areas. For example, if you have a substance abuse problem, find someone who specialize in treating people with addictions.

Once you select your therapist or psychologist give your therapy a chance to work and listen carefully to steps you should take to help heal yourself. Getting better will take time and can be hard at first so be patient. The is no magic wand and there is definitely not a magic prescription that is going to make your feel better. Opening up to someone about very personal things in your life is never easy. People do get better with treatment and especially when they learn how to treat and heal them self in concert with professional advice and counseling