Finding The Right Therapist - The Bipolar Battle, Inc.

The medical model of treatment is comprised of medication management and therapy. Finding a therapist may seem intimidating and overwhelming, but I am here to provide you with some guidance.

What To Look For In A Therapist

When looking for a therapist, you must ask yourself some direct questions. The answers you get from these questions will help point you in the right direction.

It is essential that you feel comfortable with your therapist. After all, you will be discussing some very personal material with him or her.

Some Questions To Ask Yourself

When I am in search of a new therapist, I ask myself the following questions (and remember, there are no right or wrong answers):

Is it easier talking with someone who is the same gender or the opposite gender? Does it matter to you?
Do you prefer a younger or older individual? Do you feel comfortable with a therapist who is around your age?
What credentials matter to you? Ph.D. or LCSW?
How important are the hobbies and interests of this potential therapist to you? I once had a therapist who had a few of the same interests as myself. It made all the difference in the world because he could relate his direct experience to mine. I felt more connected to him, which in return made me feel more at ease and comfortable.

What Should I Ask A Potential New Therapist?

These next questions are what I ask a potential therapist I am thinking of hiring:

What therapeutic approaches do you practice? CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy)? DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy)? EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)? Others?
What specialties do you treat?
What other services do you provide?
How long have you been practicing?
What are your qualifications? Where did you earn your credentials?
How accessible are you when we are not in session? For example, what support do you provide when I go through a mood episode? What about during periods of stability?
How do you prefer to contact patients outside of therapy sessions? Phone, text, e-mail?
How often should I meet with you? Weekly, bi-weekly, monthly? How long is each session?
How much do you charge? What insurance do you accept?

I ask myself the first set of questions to get a feeling for the type of therapist I would like to work with. You must be honest with yourself so you can find someone you connect with. After all, they will likely be in your life for the foreseeable future.

The second set of questions builds upon the first set, and they will help you decide if a potential therapist is a good fit as part of your support team.

Last Thoughts

Since I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder back in 1999, I have seen a therapist regularly. In that time, I have seen several different therapists—some very good ones, but also some very bad ones as well. I have found that it is extremely important to have a therapist on your team who advocates and supports you – this I cannot stress enough.

Depending on where you are in life will also help you decide the type of therapist you want to see – and how often. For me, I see my therapist every week. Even if I am stable and doing well, I still like to connect with my therapist and check-in.

When I first started seeing a therapist, I saw it as a chore. Over time, I have learned the importance of having another individual on my support team. Now, I look forward to therapy each week.