Photo by Nik Shuliahin on Unsplash
Therapy. If you’ve read my previous blogs then you know that I love therapy. (Shout out to my therapist, I love you). After going to a mental health presentation on campus, I was shocked to hear how many students didn’t know how to gain access to therapists outside of Northwestern University.
In terms of finding your own therapist, one of the first things that I would recommend is to try to explore within yourself and understand why you want to go to therapy, and what you would like to get out of it. This step is crucial because different therapists have different specialties. Knowing what you need from a therapist makes it easier to narrow down your options.
How to Find Your Therapist: First Steps
After understanding what type of therapist you are looking for, you can begin the journey of searching. There are a number of outlets that you may use, but I’ll list a few that I’ve heard of. Psychology today allows you to search for a therapist using your zip code. If you contact your medical providers and/or your insurance policy, they will be able to provide you with a list of in-network providers near you. For those of you (lookin’ at you Northwestern students) who are seeing a short-term therapist or a walk-in therapist—such as those provided by a university—those therapists are able to refer you to outside therapists who would be able to see you on a more regular schedule, and for a longer period of time. The short-term therapist might even know a little bit more about the specialty that you need to help you find the perfect person.
Don’t Rule Out Short-term Therapy
I began seeing a short-term therapist provided by my university and when referring me to an outside therapist, he recommended I see someone for childhood trauma, anxiety, and depression. I mean, I knew the childhood trauma was a problem, but anxiety and depression? Well, it made sense, but it was something that I wasn’t aware that I needed to focus on. Therefore, if you are able to see a short-term therapist then I wouldn’t count that out. They are still certified to help you until you are able to transfer out to a more regular therapist. Lastly, I would recommend simply asking your friends and family. As you can see, I have a great therapist and recommend her to everyone I meet. When someone is having a great experience, they will be happy to recommend the services that they take advantage of. Outside of specialties, I recommend thinking about if there is anything that you would prefer to have in a therapist. Does gender matter? Age? Sexuality? Experience? Religion? Etc.
All of this to say that it might not be as hard to find a therapist as you might think. Being able to see a therapist is something that has extensively changed my life and many others’ lives. Before giving up, consider all of your options. Ask for help if you still have questions. If you are having trouble finding resources, allow Step up for Mental Health® to volunteer its services to you. Good luck.
You can also find a therapist from our partner BetterHelp. Check out our page to find a professional therapist. Sign up via our page and you can get 1-month free. Click on the link: Click Our Partner Page to Sign Up.
