Thanks for asking.
Selecting the best therapist for your needs and situation can be as
daunting as the decision to seek therapy itself. Let's see if our
research can make the process more understandable, easier and smoother
for you.
First, let's look at referral sources available in your local area.
I'm assuming you wish to go beyond the Yellow Pages type of 'poke a
pin' method. I am sure you are already aware that the Yellow Pages and
other advertisements of availability, including newspaper
advertisements and websites, are solicitations for business, rather
than a source for evaluation of qualifications.
Referrals by telephone:
The American Psychological Association offers a toll-free referral
service. By calling 1-800-964-2000, you will be connected directly to
the state or local referral service for your area.
How Can I find a Psychologist?
http://helping.apa.org/brochure/broch7.html
Referrals Online:
The American Association for Marriage and Family Counselors offers an
online Therapist Locator.
AAMFC Therapist Locator
http://www.aamft.org/TherapistLocator/index.htm
Though the Locator, you may search for licensed therapists via zip
code, city and state, or even zip code proximity. Using a Norfolk, VA
zipcode and expanding the search to a 50 mile proximity produces a
listing of 70 practitioners within the general geographic area.
4Therapy.com also offers an online therapist locator, with a set of
qualifying criteria that can help narrow your search from a simply
geographic one. In addition to zip code, referral search results may
be refined by selecting desired treatment modalities, number of years
in practice, gender, patient type experience, and insurance plan
coverage.
4Therapy.com
Find a psychologist, Therapist or Counselor
http://www.4therapy.com/locator/index.php
Additional Referral Sources:
Your family physician may also be a useful referral source. Further
afield, academic psychologists, those who train new doctors, are an
excellent source for referral to the best of the best. The Virginia
Consortium Program in Clinical Psychology is a joint project of The
College of William and Mary, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk
State University, and Old Dominion University. The program is fully
accredited by the American Psychological Association.
Virginia Consortium Program
Faculty Listing
http://www.psychology.odu.edu/vcpcp/faculty.htm
I have obtained good results when seeking the opinion of professionals
for referrals, by asking: "If a member of your family had (XXX
condition), who would you want them to see?"
There are a number of factors that are important in choosing the best
therapies and practitioners. If you feel you need assistance in
choosing the treatment modality and practitioners best suited to your
individual needs, you may also enlist the help of a Social Worker. A
Social Worker may best be described as a case manager, knowledgeable
about the counselling programs and practitioners within a given
locality or state, and able to assist with referral and case
management. Through the Virginia Department of Health Professions
website, you may locate licensed Social Workers in your area. Search
criteria selections: Licensed Social Worker, State: VA, Zip: 235** (or
other nearby zipcodes).
Commonwealth of Virginia
Department of Health Professionals License Lookup
http://www.vipnet.org/dhp/cgi-bin/search_publicdb.cgi
Choosing the Right Therapist
Choosing the best therapist for you is, of course, the all important
question. It's not simply a matter of experience or qualifications,
but the best match between the therapist and your comfort zone. That
comfort zone may include such issues as availability on a particular
schedule, treatment modality, and fees, as well as attitude and
manner.
"Choosing a Competent Counselor" by Martha Ainsworth is a excellent
consumers guide to selecting a therapist. The user is guided step by
step through the questions and process of choosing the best counselor.
The article topics include:
How to tell if a therapist is competent, or not
What psychotherapy is—and why you need to know
The secret that you already know
How a good therapist makes you feel safe
The perfect therapist
Privacy: the essential ingredient
Non-judgmental acceptance: you deserve it
How to choose a therapist to call
How you find out about the therapist
Therapist credentials: the truth revealed
First contact. Watch out for these red flags!
Your first session: what should happen
Safety is in the details
Now what?
Metatonia.org
Choosing a Competent Counselor
http://www.metanoia.org/choose/
The Therapist Referral Networks provides a Guide, "Tips on Choosing a
Therapist". Their explanation of therapy styles and theoretical
orientations is also very useful in helping you evaluate professional
referrals.
The Therapist Referral Network
Tips on Choosing a Therapist
http://dbmac.dbcity.com/trn/ChooseTips.html
Therapy Styles
http://dbmac.dbcity.com/trn/TheoryTips.html
The U.S. Department of Human Health and Services offers a guide to the
therapist interview and selection process:
"During your first visit, describe those feelings and problems that
led you to seek help. Find out:
What kind of therapy/treatment program he or she recommends;
If it has proven effective for dealing with problems such as yours;
What the benefits and side effects are;
How much therapy the mental health professional recommends; and
If he or she is willing to coordinate your care with another
practitioner if you are personally interested in exploring credible
alternative therapies, such as acupuncture.
Different psychotherapies and medications are tailored to meet
specific needs. Be sure the psychotherapist does not take a "cookie
cutter" approach to your treatment—what works for one person with
major depression does not necessarily work for another. The best
therapists will work with you to create a treatment program—perhaps
using a single approach, perhaps incorporating several different
ones—that works for you.
Although the role of a therapist is not to be a friend, rapport is a
critical element of successful therapy. After your initial visit, take
some time to explore how you felt about the therapist. For example:
Was he or she someone with whom you felt comfortable?
Did he or she listen?
Did he or she seem to understand your concerns and address them?
Is this a person you feel you can trust?
Did he or she seem knowledgeable about your problem and suggest a
therapy/treatment program that suits you?
Was the "chemistry" right?
If the answers to these questions and others you may come up with are
"yes," schedule another appointment to begin the process of working
together to understand and overcome your problems. If the answers are
"no," call another mental health professional from your referral list
and schedule another appointment."
SAMSHA's National Mental Health Information Center
Choosing the Right Mental Health Therapist
http://www.mentalhealth.org/publications/allpubs/KEN98-0046/default.asp
Background Resources:
The Virginia Department of Health Professionals regulates Counselling
and other certified therapists. You may verify licensing
qualifications online at:
Commonwealth of Virginia
Department of Health Professionals License Lookup
http://www.vipnet.org/dhp/cgi-bin/search_publicdb.cgi
Also available are documents which describe the regulations imposed by
Virginia health care legislation:
Board of Counselling Laws and Regulations
http://www.dhp.state.va.us/counseling/counseling_laws_regs.htm
Board of Psychology Laws and Regulations
http://www.dhp.state.va.us/psychology/psychology_laws_regs.htm
Board of Social Work
http://www.dhp.state.va.us/social/social_laws_regs.htm
About Psychotherapy
Interviewing and Selecting a Psychotherapist
http://www.aboutpsychotherapy.com/index.html
Psychology Doc
Psychologists
http://www.aboutpsychotherapy.com/index.html
SAMSHA's National Mental Health Information Center
Services Locator
http://www.mentalhealth.org/default.asp
Google search terms:
"choosing therapist" eastern virginia
"choosing therapist" eastern virginia
"choosing psychologist" eastern virginia
clinical social workers Virginia OR "Commonwealth of Virginia"
I hope the information and resources will assist you in locating the
best possible therapist. Should you have any questions about the links
and material provided, please, feel free to ask.
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