Getting Started in Therapy
Starting anything new can be scary or challenging, especially therapy, if you don’t know what to expect or how to navigate all of the available options. I hope the following list helps guide you toward finding the best fit treatment for you.
Therapists, much like medical doctors, can specialize in different forms of treatment, work with different age groups, or specialize in particular disorders. There are many different types of therapists with different levels of training and specializations.
When you are searching for a therapist, here are some ideas to consider:
What do I want out of treatment?
Why are you seeking treatment? Do you want to work on reducing symptoms that are causing distress? Do you want to gain a better understanding of who you are and what you want to do with your life? Are you just feeling a bit stuck and overwhelmed and want someone who can give you an outside perspective? Sitting down and identifying your goal for treatment can help guide you toward what kind of therapy to look for.
What kind of therapy experience do I want? Do you want to walk away with a toolbox of skills? Do you want to sit and process your experience?
Therapies differ in their approach to problems. There are therapies, like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) or Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), that are heavy on teaching new skills. The goal is to help you become your own therapist. The benefit is walking away with specific strategies to help navigate challenges. Treatment is targeted and symptom-driven. Skills-based therapies have a great deal of data showing they work really well in helping people feel better within a few months and provide relief.
Process-based therapies, such as Humanistic-Existential, Psychodynamic will help you process and gain insight into patterns using the therapist as a guide. These may integrate skills but ultimately believe insight results in change. These are often a fit for people looking to better understand themselves and patterns of responding.
Supportive therapies that aim to create an environment which can facilitate healing. These can include supportive psychotherapy, drama therapy, art therapy, etc.
Therapy format can include individual therapy, group therapy, skills groups, family sessions, couples sessions, parent training. There are many different options to help support whatever goals you may have for treatment.
What’s the difference between a counselor, a therapist, a psychologist, a social worker, a family therapist, and a marriage counselor?
The difference lies in the amount of training and specialization each of these different positions have. Counselors, social workers, and marriage and family therapists have completed, at minimum, a master’s degree. A psychologist has completed a doctoral degree and is the highest degree available.
A social worker often specializes in working within systems to support clients in getting services to support their growth and development.
A marriage and family therapist’s training specializing in working within family relationships.
Counselors, therapists, and psychologists most likely have more experience working with individuals but can also work with families and couples based on their level of training.
Keep in mind, however, that everyone can access more training or specialization. This is something also to consider and ask about. Professionals can become board certified in specific treatment approaches or have done specialized training in working with specific treatments.
What do all of those acronyms mean?
LPC stands for Licensed Professional Counselor.
LCPC stands for Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor
LSW is a Licensed Social Worker
LCSW is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker
LCP stands for Licensed Clinical Psychologist
LMFT is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
What questions should I ask a potential therapist?
What do you think causes people’s problems and how do you help them get better?
What this question taps into is how a therapist sees problems and what they will do to help you. See if their understanding and treatment approach make sense to you. If it doesn’t feel like it’s a fit, try someone else!
What disorders have you worked with? Do you have a specialty?
Specific disorders have treatments that have been proven to be more effective for them; this isn’t to say that other treatments may not help. However, we know, for example:
Prolonged Exposure (PE) or Cognitive Processing Theory (CPT) is most helpful for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is most helpful for treatment Borderline Personality Disorder
Exposure and Responsive Prevention (ERP) is most helpful for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders
What training do you attend? What is the last professional training you attended?
Staying on top of new research, approaches, and professional development is very important for any profession.
Are you part of a consultation group?
Consultation groups are how therapists get other perspectives or opinions on cases. This can often help everyone get unstuck in treatment.
Maybe this isn’t your first try at therapy:
Finding the “right fit” treatment can be challenging but also incredibly worthwhile. Before you search for a new therapist, consider what you liked or didn’t like about past treatments or treatment providers.
Finding a therapist can be challenging. You also want someone who you like and feel comfortable with.
If you feel like you’re not connected after a few sessions, talk about it. We promise we won’t be upset if we’re not a fit for you. What we can do, however, is talk about what is working or not working and help you find the treatment or the therapist who might be a better fit.
Other things you might keep in mind:
Reevaluate treatment often. Your therapist will have a treatment plan that they can reference and goals you’ve set. Ideally, you’ll start noticing changing and making progress. If you don’t feel like that’s the case, you may reconsider the treatment you are in and talk to your therapist about it. Not every treatment is going to be a good fit (even if you really like the therapist).
Therapy is also going to be hard work. You’ll have to practice applying what you have learned inside of your therapy sessions to your outside world. The effort will be worth it!
If you want something you've never had, you must be willing to do something you've never done. Thomas Jefferson
