I Want to Go To Therapy...Now What?
Something amazing I’ve noticed is the increase in black folks wanting to give this therapy thing a try. With therapy being such a taboo topic in the black community, being able to be vulnerable enough to even consider the idea is phenomenal.. Many people have played with the idea, but have no idea where to even begin with finding a therapist. Here, I’ll tell you some tips and tricks to finding a therapist - the right therapist - for you.
Check with your health insurance - Many therapists accept insurance. This allows you to not have to pay their full rates, if anything at all, out of pocket. The first thing you should do is check to see if your health insurance offers behavioral health or mental health benefits and what is covered. This can be done on their website or you could simply give them a call. Be sure to ask about things such as deductibles, in-network versus out of network providers, coinsurance and copays - you want to make sure you won’t get a bill that you have to foot after your session!
Decide whether or not you even WANT to use health insurance- Many people opt to be self-pay, that is, they don’t want to go through their insurance companies. While this means you’ll pay more out of your own pocket, it does have its benefits. Many people opt to be self pay for a variety of reasons, but what I hear most often is that people don’t want a track record of their mental health diagnoses and treatment being linked to them. Insurance companies want notes from therapist to prove that the services they are providing to you are necessary in order for the company to continue paying the therapist. While most therapists chose to keep these notes as vague as possible, they do have to report a diagnosis and at least a minimal description of what it is that they are treating/ your presenting problem. Some people who often opt for self-pay therapy are generally people who have security clearances, military personnel or people who may be involved with court systems. It is also a personal decision for a variety of other reasons, you do what you think is best for you and what you think you can afford financially.
Find a therapist - This is where things sometimes get tricky. It’s important to pick a therapist that will best meet your needs, but if you’ve never been to therapy, this step can be overwhelming. Cause for real for real, how do you really know who is gonna be the one for you!? Doing research on your therapist ahead of time may save you the stress of having to switch therapists later. Insurance companies and therapists directories generally let you sort options by location, ethnicity, gender, credentials and/or specialties. If you prefer to see a black male therapist close to your job, you can specify that in your search criteria. It’s also helpful to look at a therapists bio and presenting problems they primarily treat. For example, some therapists specialize in addressing LGBTQ issues while others may specialize in trauma recovery or substance abuse. Spend a little bit of time finding someone whose expertise matches your current challenges.
Schedule a consultation or appointment - Many therapists offer a phone consultation that is usually free. This allows both you and the therapist to ask questions and determine if you’ll be a good fit, if schedules will align and all of the other specifics. Not all therapists or agencies offer consultations, however. Sometimes it is the first session/intake assessment where these things are addressed. If you are hesitant, reach out to the therapist with the questions or concerns you might have before heading into the office for your first appointment.
First session - You’ve finally found a therapist and you’ve scheduled the first session! While every therapist operates differently, many therapists generally spend the first session or first few sessions completing an intake assessment, establishing rapport with you and spend time for both of you to warm up to each other. Some agencies have someone else complete an intake assessment and not the actual therapist you’ll be seeing, but they usually let you know if they’ll be the one you’ll see or not. Intakes usually consist of lots of questions about your current concerns, basic background and history, sometimes family and childhood questions and anything else that might help the therapist to better understand you and your needs at this time.
Attend therapy with an open mind- Lastly, it’s important to have an open mind. This is a new experience that might bring a range of emotions from nervousness, anxiety and feeling overwhelmed to scared or concerned. It’s important to remember that you made this step to make changes in your life to become a better you! If you’re not open to it, you won’t take away all the benefits that therapy has to offer. I generally tell my clients to give it at least 3 sessions before you decide that therapy is not for you. Those three sessions allow you to push past the anxiety a bit, get comfortable with the idea of being in therapy and also a chance to ‘feel out’ your therapist to decide if this is going to be a working relationship.
Have you ever been to therapy? How did you go about finding your therapist? Let me know in the comments below!