Topic: counseling-fundamentals

Question: How does someone approach a counselor?
How does a person start the counseling process?

Answer (from Gwendolyn Nelson-Terrywww.GwendolynNelsonTerry.com):
Great question!  You can find a counselor by doing an internet search or by asking your doctor for a referral.  Once you have the name and contact information for a therapist you want to meet with, give them a call.  Some therapists will provide a free 15-20 minute phone consultation.  This is a good chance for you to get some questions asked.  Be sure to ask about their fee, if you want to use your insurance ask them if they take your insurance.  Next you will want to ask about availability to make sure they have open times that fit in your schedule.  Once you make the appointment, in the first session you have with the therapist, the therapist will ask a lot of questions about what brought you into therapy and what you hope to accomplish in therapy.  I usually use the last 10 minutes of that first session talking with clients about how I might be able to help them with their concern and I gather feedback from them.  Here is a link to an article about how to speak with your therapist in those first couple of sessions.  http://thriveworks.com/blog/tips-open-honest-counselor/

Answer (from Shawn BeardCreate Your U!):
Great question. Too often people search for the help they need via a phone book or a basic internet search. When looking for a new person to add to your team, whether it be a Counselor, Plumber, or Mechanic, it is important to know as much as you reasonably can about the person. I generally take the following steps: 1.) Know what is important to me in finding help. 2.) Ask for referrals from my trusted friends, family, and colleagues. 3.) Search for online reputation (Better Business Bureau, Yelp, etc). The absence of an online reputation is not necessarily a bar to consideration. However, a predominantly negative review may warrant further research. 4.) Finally call the Counselor and ask a few questions. Let the Counselor know what you are looking for. Trust your gut. For example, if you feel rushed or do not receive thorough answer, move on to the next. Taking the time to defining and conveying your requirements about what you are looking for in counseling can save you a lot of work down the road.

Answer (from Travis McNultyPromoting optimal mental health.):
I'd recommend looking on psychologtoday.com, reading the bio's of potential therapists who you think you would relate best with, then contact them through e-mail or on the phone.

Answer (from Kevin MimmsBuilding Better Connections):
Hi, Reaching out on this site was a great first step! To start counseling, I would recommend looking up counselors and thinking about what sort of counselor would be a good fit. See if they have areas of focus that line up with your goals, and never be afraid to call and set up a consultation. Usually these are free of charge and can help you make your decision.

Answer (from David KleinHumanistic, LGBT-Affirmative Psychotherapy for Individuals & Couples):
I have found that if you go to my website and fill out the form, I can usually get back to you within 24 hours. In my most efficient instances, I've been able to set-up a consultation within a couple of days, which is just 15 minutes by phone, to chat a little about what you might want to work on, how I may or may not be a good fit, etc. Then from there, if you want to meet in person we can set up an initial session. I will usually be able to let you know what kinds of ongoing times for counseling that I have available over the phone. Scheduling is a big barrier to finding a therapist, especially in New York, when schedules seem pretty busy all around.I've heard a lot of statistics about how prospective clients in therapy will often wait for months before reaching out, which is why I think that email is great. Cold-calling can cause an unnecessary amount of anxiety (also, who will hear me on the phone?) whereas email is relatively easy to begin a conversation, from what I've found.I tend to recommend clients give a new therapist a couple of sessions to get a feel for fit. But, if it's horrible after one session, and you feel awful when you leave, that's another story. I might want to explore with you what felt so awful, but if you don't want to come back, that is well within your right.Also, keep in mind that we want to help. So, please don't feel like we are judging you for seeking out help! You are strong for doing so. Far too often I hear about it as a weakness, and that's just BS:)

Answer (from Heidi Haddad):
Hello. Usually the person interested in therapy reaches out to the therapist, by telephone or email.  I like to respond with appreciation for their making contact and ask if they are available for a phone consultation in order to see how I may be able to help.  Once we are on the phone, I like to get a brief sense of what's happening in their life and the way in which I respond and the way we communicate will give each of us a sense of whether our dynamic is appealing enough to take the next step.  And the next step is making an appointment.  Also in the initial conversation, you can feel free to ask what their therapeutic modality is or give a brief scenario and ask how the therapist might respond to that situation.  I encourage you to be fearless in "interviewing" the therapist.  This is one of the most sacred connections of trust you could be about to forge, so if you don't feel comfortable, move on to the next therapist on your list.  If the connection feels good to you, then it's worth it to make the first appointment.  You will immediately know if you don't feel comfortable speaking with this person.  But if you DO feel comfortable, heard, validated even in that short conversation, I encourage you to make the appointment.  Once you're in the first session, you can continue to assess through how your feeling and responding, just how comfortable you are or are not. Just keep listening to yourself every step of the way!

Answer (from Shy PorterSpecialist in couples & individuals):
Great question. The decision to pursue therapy can be a very difficult one and the fact that there seem to be so many profiles that you have to wade through can be particularly daunting. Here's what I suggest to make the process a bit easier: 1) Narrow down your preferred geographical area. Are you in a rural, suburban, or urban environment? If it's either of the latter two, you'll probably have a mental health professional close by. Decide now if it's important to you that their office be within walking or short driving distance. 2) Decide if you need it to be covered by your insurance. You'll have more options if you're willing to pay out of pocket and get reimbursed by your insurance, but more and more people are accepting insurance these days. 3) Find someone whose profile has the key words that you're looking for. If you're struggling with traumatic flashbacks, make sure they have "trauma" or something along those lines in their profile.4) Make sure they have a friendly and professional picture. This is small, but this detail shows that they really care about how they present to the world. 5) Come up with a list of about 3 people and rank them from most appealing to least. Set up an appointment with the person who seems like the best fit and give it a try for the first session. You'll know by the end of it if it's a good fit.It can be scary, but finding the perfect fit makes it so worth it. Good luck!