In the Market for a New Therapist? Three Points to Consider when Searching for the Best Fit

Choosing a therapist can be intimidating, confusing, and flat-out hard. Even knowing what you are looking for can be difficult, especially if it is your first time going through the process.

In last week’s post, we explored three questions to ask a therapist to help you find the best fit (read the full post here). However, finding a therapist that fits your needs may mean more than just how you mesh in a therapy session. It may also mean finding a therapist who can accommodate your preferences, your financial needs, and your availability.

Whether you are trying to decide between two therapists or are just starting your search, here are three points to consider that may help point you in the right direction (or at least narrow it down).

1. Gender: This is a deal-breaker for some people and a non-issue for others. The bottom-line is that, as a client, you need to feel comfortable in the therapist’s office in order to allow yourself to be open and vulnerable during the therapeutic process. If that means you need to limit your pool of therapists to a specific gender, then you should. There is no shame in knowing your preferences and finding a care provider who best aligns with your needs.
2. Payment Options: This is a broad category that could be an entire blog post in itself. In a nutshell, there are two main questions to consider: will you be insurance or self-pay, and how does the therapist accept payment? If you need therapy covered by insurance, finding a therapist that is in your insurance network will be a deciding factor for you and an important question to ask ahead of time. Not every therapist can bill every insurance company, and some do not accept insurance at all. If you want to self-pay, finding out the therapist’s rates may be of particular importance, especially if you are on budget. It may be beneficial to note that some therapist’s rates are not set in stone, offering a sliding-scale for those who need it. It is always worth asking, even if it is not explicitly stated on the therapist’s website. Whether you are insurance or self-pay, knowing how the therapist accepts payment may impact your decision. While many therapists are beginning to be able to accept credit card payments for co-pays and office visits, there are several therapists who only accept check or cash.
3. Appointment Availability: Therapy does require a time commitment. Whether your appointments are weekly, biweekly, or monthly, you still need to be able to attend those appointments. The biggest reasons for conflict here is typically work schedules and personal lives. For example, a therapist who does not have evening availability may not be ideal or even feasible for a person whose work schedule is Monday through Friday 9 AM to 5 PM. Along the same lines, a person who works second shift may require earlier or even morning appointment times. Personal life commitments and needs may interfere, too. For example, a person who has children may need an appointment time before the children come home from school. For these reasons (and many more), it is important to consider your own personal and work-related weekly obligations, and if the therapist’s availability will (or can) work with yours long-term.

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Confused about the letters after therapist’s names, the differences in their licenses, and what this all means in relation to you? Keep a lookout for the next post in this series, In the Market for a New Therapist? A Guide to Letters and Licenses.

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