4 Things to Consider When Choosing a Therapist
In this post, I am going to outline 4 things to consider when looking for a therapist. If you’ve never been to therapy or talked to someone who has, the process can have a mysterious quality to it. How do I schedule? What do I ask? How does this work? How do I know if the therapist will be a good fit?
While this blog post does not answer all of those questions, it does offer a starting point for when you are in the “looking” phase of this journey.
So, let’s jump in!
Does the therapist specialize in your issue?
What I mean by “issue” here is the WHY behind what has led you to seek out a therapist. Are you struggling with anxiety, depression, relationship issues, or something else? Whatever it is— you will want to make sure the therapist has training and experience working with that concern.
Therapists are trained in specific interventions that treat a different set of symptoms or issues. Often, interventions can be used for different issues (i.e. CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) can be used to decrease anxiety, depression, and improve relationships). You’ll know the therapist’s specialty because they will likely have it listed on their website or Psychology Today. You can also ask!
Does the therapist have availability that fits your schedule?
This is so important! If you know that you can ONLY meet at 8 am or 5 pm during the week but the therapist does not usually have openings then, your schedules may not match up well enough to see each other consistently.
Keep in mind that adding ANYTHING into an already busy schedule can add some sense of stress or strain in the beginning. It will be necessary to find some time in your schedule if you’d like to participate in therapy.
Does the therapist take insurance?
Let me just start by saying, insurance can be confusing. If you already know everything there is to know about insurance, don’t care, or won’t be using insurance—you can just skip this section!
Therapists can be in-network with insurance. In-network means that therapist has a contract with your insurance and whatever your rate is supposed to be for behavioral health benefits, is what you will pay for your visits with the therapist. Insurance sets this rate based on your plan.
Therapists can be out-of-network with insurance which means that they are not credentialed with your insurance. If a therapist states that they accept out-of-network benefits, this means that they will provide you with an invoice (also known as a superbill) that you can submit to your insurance company to get partially reimbursed. Your reimbursement rate will depend on your plan. Some plans do not have out-of-network benefits. You can call the number on the back of your card to find out details on your out-of-network benefits!
Self-Pay only is when you pay the therapist’s rate and nothing is completed with insurance.
Does the therapist offer a free phone consultation?
Free phone consultations are helpful for a variety of reasons. It gives you an opportunity to see how you feel on the phone with a therapist before you move forward with a paid session. You can ask any questions, explain why you’re seeking treatment, give the therapist an opportunity to share more about their style, etc.
Phone consultations also gives the therapist an opportunity to see if their style and expertise will be the best fit for you.
For me, if a client is going through something and I don’t think I would be the best fit, I offer referrals to therapists who have training and expertise in that area. This is a win/win. While it can be disappointing to not move forward with a therapist that you spend time talking to, it is ultimately better for you (the client) to see someone with expertise in the area that you would like to work on.
