[How to guide] Finding a Therapist

How to Find a Therapist 

Step-by-Step Guide

First of all, it takes a lot of courage to start this process – be proud of the step you are taking and be patient. Nothing can be fixed in a day. It takes dedicated time and space for the magic to really happen. I wish you only the best in this journey. - Azra 💚

#	Step	Estimated Time
1	WRITE DOWN YOUR GOALS Write down the 3-5 goals you want to discuss or accomplish with your therapist  If you get stuck, ask yourself: If you had 3 wishes right now, what would they be? Now look deeper and ask yourself why you picked those 3	30 min
2	DEFINE WHAT TYPE OF THERAPY & THERAPIST YOU NEED  Decide what type of therapy and therapist you want (4 parts): Types of Therapy: The most common one I know is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) - here are other types Issues the therapist specializes in: (i.e., my therapist had a lot of experience with grief and relationships) Profile of your Therapist: Race, Age, Faith, etc (i.e., my therapist was a 55 year old black lady who was spiritual). If you get stuck, ask yourself: If I could connect with a stranger and tell them my life story, who would I feel like would understand me the most just based on race/age/faith Session Format: Do you want a therapist you can see in person/office or virtual? The ideal session is about 1 hour long. Note: Some therapists are ONLY licensed to provide services in certain states.	1 hour
3	SEARCH FOR A THERAPIST Multiple options based on if you choose to use insurance or not – that part takes the longest, be patient and diligent.  Using Insurance:  Use Psychology Today. This is the Bible for all therapists. Use the filter functions to search on the type of therapist you want and the type of insurance you have. Note: you can also find therapists here if you choose not to use insurance but the cost may be higher (i.e. with insurance $30-$50, without insurance $100-$150) Call your insurance company and ask if they have behavior health specialists programs (sometimes they have 6 free online session)  Call your insurance company and ask for therapists that are in your area (they will email or text you a list of therapists that take your insurance)  Not Using Insurance:  Online platforms such as BetterHelp (which is what I used) or TalkSpace are very common.  Prices for sessions depend on your subscription. I paid in full quarterly so my weekly sessions were $55. If I paid for one session at a time the cost was $90. Look at the different pricing options.  Pro to online platform: The process is FAST. (1) You fill out a 20 question intake form and the platform finds a therapist for you within 2 days. (2) If you don't like your therapist you can click a button and they instantly try to find you another you (3) You can use the platform's chat function during the week if you need to ask your therapist questions.	1-2 days
4	CONTACT THERAPIST(S) If you are using Psychology Today to find a therapist, you will have to call or email them. Ask the following questions:  I am interested in <weekly, bi-weekly> therapy session which would prefer to be <virtual, in person> Are you currently taking new patients? What is the price for a session? (with or without insurance) When can I set up a free consultation?  TIP: Reach out to 5-10 therapists, and hopefully 2-3 will respond. Therapists have gotten very busy during the pandemic and even when you think you’ve found the perfect fit, they might not reach back out or have availability.	2 hours
5	AFTER YOU MEET WITH THEM, SEE WHAT FEELS RIGHT  There is no one size fits all. Finding a therapist is a little like dating. You want to make sure you feel comfortable and it is the right fit. My suggestion would be to try and talk to a few before you make a decision. If you make it a few weeks into therapy and decide you would think it is the right fit, it is 100% okay to break up with your therapist. They are professionals and it is common for that to happen - don't feel bad	Varies
6	YOU GET WHAT YOU PUT IN –  BE PATIENT AND VULNERABLE  You only get out as much as you put in. Once you find a therapist that works for you, be vulnerable and open. It takes a lot of effort to dig deep and go into our pain, but underneath there are so many golden nuggets that shape how we live our lives that will be transformational.	Lifelong learning

NOTE: If you are also looking for Career coaching/ counseling, I just started using BetterUp (different from BetterHelp) which is an online platform that has been super helpful for career transition and coaching. 

1 session a month is $90, 2 sessions a month is $150, etc. 

Mental health isn’t cheap, but I believe investing in ourselves now will bring us more joy in how we live our lives going forward.