How To Find The Right Therapist For You!
- Megan Williams
- Jan 8, 2021
- 3 min read
For those of you who do not already know, I am studying to become a Psychotherapist. My goal is to work with diverse communities and normalize therapy as a form of self-care and healing for all individuals. So, I thought it might be helpful to share some tips on how to begin your search for your own Therapist!
Psychotherapy is a safe place for individuals to unpack their past, gain deeper self-awareness, breakdown unhealthy habits, and develop healthier relationships. Although therapy is a safe and brave space, it can sometimes be nerve wracking to seek out help or to even know where to start! This post will give you three easy ways to begin your search, and hopefully help you find a Therapist that is right for you!
Therapy for Black Girls
Therapy for Black Girls is a website designed to pair clients with culturally competent Black Therapists that can relate to the unique experiences of people of color. This platform was founded by Dr. Joy Harden Bradford, a Clinical Psychologist from Atlanta, Georgia. This platform also includes a podcast that touches on several mental health issues. Therapy for Black Girls allows you to enter your address and search all of the listed providers in your area. A very helpful feature that will help you to narrow down your search even more, is to input your insurance company if you’re hoping to get your services covered. It is very important for clients and Therapists to feel connected to one another. When we feel connected and free to be ourselves is when the true growth happens, so I highly recommend checking out this website!
Psychology Today
Another great way to search for a Therapist is through the website, Psychology Today. This website is easy and free to use, and also offers thought provoking Psychology articles. To begin your search, just enter your city or zip code and add filters to make the search specific to your needs. This website has extensive filters such as the ethnicity being served, sexuality, language, faith, presenting issues, insurance, gender, age, and price. This makes it super easy to find a Therapist that is relatable to you. For example, I often check the boxes African American, female Therapist, and enter my insurance company.
Insurance
Lastly, if you know that you want your insurance company to cover your therapy services, this may be the best method for you. If you go to your insurance company's website or give them a call, they should be able to give you instructions on how to seek out a covered Mental Health Professional for therapy services. Depending on your plan you may be able to get 100% of your services covered, or you may have a deductible to pay off. Unfortunately, it can be common for Therapist’s insurance information to be outdated, so you may want to reach out to a few Therapists that interest you just in case one does not fit within your budget or is no longer accepting insurance. It is also important for me to mention that there are many Therapists that do not accept insurance and clients often pay out of pocket. If you have a PPO plan, this may be a good option for you, and you may be able to return a superbill back to your insurance company for a percentage back in reimbursement. It is important to check in with your insurance company and be aware of the plan that you have and the amount they are willing to reimburse you for services. This way, you can enter into your therapy journey without any unexpected financial burdens!
I hope this was helpful and gave you some clarity on where to begin your search for a Therapist. Once you find a Therapist that you think would be a great fit, I recommend emailing and calling them to scheduling a free phone consultation. This consultation is a great time for you to ask all of your questions and make sure that it will be a good fit for you! If this call goes well, you will more than likely be able to schedule your first intake session with the Therapist!
If you have any questions or would like me to dive deeper into this topic, leave a comment below and I would love to provide more insight!
With Love,
Meg
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