How do you go about finding a therapist?
Making the decision to seek counseling is not an easy decision to make. I first just want to pause and be with you in this place, praying as I write, that the Lord would be the one guiding and directing your path to a suitable source for such sacred work with Him. First and foremost, He is your healer. There are times in our lives when the need exists for professional counseling. My hope and prayer is that this information will help guide you as you pursue finding a therapist.
Sadly, I also need to acknowledge, at this time there seems to be a shortage of therapist and counselors which can make it even more challenging. My encouragement is to you is persist in your pursuit.
If you are wanting to utilize health insurance resources to cover the cost, you will be looking for a licensed therapist. You’ll find a few different types of licensing
LPC: Licensed Professional Counselor
LCSW: Licensed Clinical Social Worker
LMFT: Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
Generally, they are more alike than different and means they can legally refer to themselves as a therapist offering professional therapy/counseling. All require a master’s degree, 2-3000 hours of supervised experience, and passing a licensing exam.
Health insurance companies generally have listings of “in network” behavioral health providers. What this means is that the providers on the list have gone through an extensive credentialing process reviewing licensing requirements have been fulfilled, and the therapist hold a current license in good standing. When this has been fulfilled, the insurance company and the therapist enter into a contract agreement stipulating the insurance company with pay the therapist at a set rate to provide services for the people they provide insurance coverage to. Generally, these lists can be found on your insurance providers website.
From your health insurance company’s list of “in network” providers, you can begin exploring more by googling therapist. Many therapists have websites sharing a little about who they are and the services they provide including the interventions they use and a method to reach out to them to begin inquiring about their services and availability.
A robust resource available to find a therapist is the website Psychology Today (https://www.psychologytoday.com/us). There are a variety of filters you can set including location, issues, insurance, gender, types of therapy, age, price, and more. Under the “more” tab, you are able to specify “Christian.” Therapists listing provide a bio including their philosophy of care, insurances taken/fees, expertise, and specialties, and how to contact.
Most therapist offer a 30-minute consultation free of charge, as a meet and greet, to help determine if both parties feel it’s a fit moving forward. This is a great time to ask questions about the interventions they use and how Biblical principles are incorporated into your care.
Most importantly, I encourage to pray. Your Father in heaven is faithful.
“And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” Matthew 21:22