How to select a therapist

For some people, deciding to go to therapy is the hardest decision to make. However, finding a good therapist can be an even bigger challenge.

Finding a "good therapist" is a completely subjective experience and some people struggle to find a therapist they like and trust on the first go around. In fact, some people work with several therapists before they find someone with whom they feel comfortable.

But what if you don't want to go through several therapists before finding "the one"? While there is no surefire way of finding the right therapist for you the first time, there are some things you can do to make sure you're more likely to find them sooner rather than later.

When looking for a therapist there are a few basic questions you should ask yourself before you start your search:

• Am I looking for someone to talk with or medication to manage my symptoms?

This will help you decide if you want to look for a psychotherapist or a psychiatrist. Psychiatrists prescribe medication and psychotherapists do not. While psychiatrists can do psychotherapy or psychoanalysis, many often stick to doing one or the other. Also, with a shortage of psychiatrists, you should note that it can be difficult to get an appointment quickly.

• How long do I want to work with a therapist?

Some people want to be in therapy for a few sessions, others are looking for long-term support, and a few want to work on an as-needed basis. There are therapists in each of these categories. Keep in mind that regardless of how long you want to work with a therapist, you should probably plan to do at least eight sessions in the beginning to ensure you get the most out of your time.

• What do I want to work on?

Identify if your challenge/issue is personal or professional or both. This is often the easiest place to begin. Then, identify the main issue: is it anger, sadness, loneliness, etc. This will help you determine what areas of expertise to look for in your search.

• Do I need to use insurance, or can I afford to pay privately for sessions?

This is a very important question that you need to be honest in answering. If you have a limited budget and you have insurance, you may need to use whomever is in your network. While this may restrict your search, you can identify the best therapists available from the pool of professionals listed. HMOs are the most restrictive and PPOs the least.

Call your insurance company personally to find out if you have a deductible that must be met for behavioral health and what your co-pay is before you begin your search. Do not leave this up to your provider. This reduces your uncertainty around out-of-pocket costs and helps you manage your finances even better. Some therapists offer a sliding scale fee if they do not accept your insurance. While this is one of the most generous ways therapists help those in need, it can still cost quite a bit of money if it exceeds what your budget allows. When this is the case, you have to accept that you are unable to work outside of your network.

An alternative to working with a therapist in private practice or your network is to go to a community mental health center. Community mental health centers can see people for very little, if any, fee and are available in most cities. The downside to working with a therapist in a community mental health center is there may be a long waiting list, you may have to work with whomever you are assigned, the turnover can be high, or you may get someone who has very little experience.

• How deeply do I want to look into myself?

Some people just want or need to look at how to solve a crisis or an immediate problem; some want to get to the root of a problem they have been experiencing for years; and others may want to just talk about what is happening to or around them just to gain clarity. Getting a sense of what you want to look at helps you stay motivated, paced, and focused on your journey.

• How important, to me, is the therapist's level of skill and expertise?

This can be a difficult question to answer because almost everyone wants to work with the best therapist possible. With that said, generally speaking, the higher the level of expertise and skill, the higher the fees and/or demand for the therapist. Some therapists are so specialized that they are able to provide highly efficient and effective treatments which saves the patient a significant amount of time and money. On the other hand, some therapists have specialties, but operate in more traditional modalities. While it is impossible for you learn about each modality, you can decide if you'd like a more traditional approach or highly specialized approach.

It is my opinion that if you are new to therapy that you begin with a more traditional model and then work your way to working with a highly specialized therapist. It just makes more sense and allows you to prepare yourself to heal and grow more practically. For those of you who are therapy connoisseurs, if you feel that you have gone as far as you can go in traditional therapy, then you may be ready for a more specialized form of treatment.

• Who has become a better person as a result of going to therapy?

In other words, ask for a referral because the proof is in the pudding. If you know of someone who has gone to therapy and they actually seem to have gotten better from it, ask them if they would be comfortable sharing the name of their therapist with you. While most people tend to be OK with sharing, some are very protective of their relationship with their therapist, for good reason. If they are uncomfortable with sharing the name of their therapist, let them know you understand and move on with your search. Besides, not every therapist is for everybody and that's a good thing.

These questions will help you get clear on what you are looking for, so you begin your search with realistic expectations and pretty solid selections for therapists. This also helps you to set the stage for a healthy and positive experience.

• Beginning your search

The last step is to begin your search. If you are using insurance and want to stay in your network, you can simply call your insurance company on log into your insurance portal and begin your search for a therapist there. You should be able to locate a therapist based on location, specialties, and availability.

If you are able to go outside of your insurance network, searching a professional directory like psychology today or healthgrades.com will provide you with a list of therapists, their specialties, fees, insurance networks and treatment philosophy. Many of them offer a brief phone consultation to ensure they are able to help you with your problem (and to see if it is a good fit for both of you).

Last, but not least, you can try a Google search for therapists in your area who specialize in the conditions or areas you want to work on and see who comes up. This can be a chore, but you can be taken directly to the providers website and learn more about them before reaching out to schedule an appointment.

• Jinnie Cristerna is a licensed clinical social worker, clinical hypnotherapist, an ordained minister, and RoHun doctor based in Schaumburg. A graduate of the University of Chicago, Delphi University, and the Wellness Institute, she has practiced psychotherapy for 27 years. She specializes in abuse, trauma, women and minority issues, depression, anxiety, inner child healing and DID. To learn more, visit www.HighAchiever.net.