Finding a therapist can be difficult despite the growing number of individuals offering supportive services. Psychologists, Mental Health Professionals, Lay Leaders, Consultants, Religious leaders, and Life Coaches are all titles used by individuals who offer support on a professional or non professional level. This can cause confusion about what services does one need. The difficulty in finding a therapist specifically also have many factors: Finances/Insurance, Location, specialty/expertise, and availability of sessions. On top of all of these variable might be the most significant issues is the dimension of the therapeutic relationship. In this series of article discussion will take place on these many topics and direction will be given on where to start and how to best opportunity for change.
The best place to start in this discussion is to outline what the needs you are looking to address. Professionals offer different types of services and level of expertise. More and more therapists, consultants, and helpers are offering services that may or may not fit your needs. Below is a checklist for helping you outline your specific needs.