Here's my version of a consumer's guide....
First we have the professionals who are educated, trained and licensed by the state to practice therapy: psychologists, psychiatrists, clinical social workers, marriage and family therapists, pastoral counselors, and licensed mental health clinicians. To keep their licenses, they must abide by state laws and professional ethics. It's not quite the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval, but it does mean they are answering to a higher legal and ethical authority when it comes to your care.
Most states, though, allow folks without licensed credentials to practice therapy, too. That includes life coaches, relationship advisors, weight consultants, and executive and career coaches. No one needs a license or specific work experience or training to be called a therapist or work under these titles. Can these people be helpful? Sure. Just be aware that you'll have to do your own background checks here, as no legal authority oversees your care.
Next, how to do find the best person for your needs? In Ye Olden Times-- before the spread of managed care in the 1990's--most people counted on their medical doctor or a trusted friend for a referral. Now, we have an insurance directory with lots of names and addresses, but little else to go on. Many people start with an Internet search to narrow things down. There are individual websites, highlighted Google ads and blogs (this one included) that can tell you a bit.
But, do yourself a favor. Check with your state government's website that verifies the current licensing of each professional by their discipline (e.g. psychology, social work, psychiatry).
Make sure he or she is a doctor or masters level clinician of the specialty you want, not economics or astronomy!
For New York go to the "State Office of Professions" at
http://www.op.nysed.gov/prof/
Also, you can see if there are any professional complaints on file.Note: the state's website is a far better place to check on consumer complaints than on all the consumer rating sites (e.g. Yelp, Healthgrades.com, etc.)
Remember "slam" books and bathroom stall gossip from your school days?
All you need is one anonymous mischievous person to slant the score in a negative way or a friend of the clinician to slant the score in a positive direction.
Instead of letting someone else's experience influence your decision, telephone the clinician yourself and see what your own experience is.
Most clinicians answer and return calls themselves. It's a great opportunity for you to hear how they respond to you and your questions or concerns in real time.
(By the way, many clinicians, including myself don't "do" email for their clinical appointments. Licensed professionals are legally and ethically bound to protect the confidentiality of their client's identities and info. As wonderful as the Internet email may be, it is very easy to hack into and there is no control over how long it is kept and who can access it!)
So, write down your questions ahead of time. Insurance concerns? Fees? Days or times you want an appointment? Years of experience with the area of knowledge you need (anxiety, marital counseling, work stress, parent/child conflicts)? You should get a call within two days. If not, try at least one more call...sometimes poor cell phone reception makes messages (and phone numbers!) incomprehensible. If the answers sound promising, make an appointment and see how the "in person" chemistry goes. (On the telephone and in-person dynamics can be worlds apart.)
Lastly, give yourself at least three sessions to judge the therapeutic "fit" The first meeting is usually filled with excitement, emotions and nerves and a lot of information exchange. The second meeting may still focus on bringing the clinician up to speed on your current problems and their history, making it hard to assess the relationship. By session number three, you should have an idea of the clinician's plan of action and whether you agree with it.
Differently trained mental health professionals will offer different approaches. However, the treatment should be backed by clinical research that is available for you to look up and read about, too. The U.S. Government's National Institute of Health has a great website just for this purpose at
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/
As a federal website, MedlinePlus does not accept commercial or medical advertising of any kind (unlike WebMD or MedicineNet), so you can trust that the information and outcomes are research based.Til next time, take good care!
