Five Basic Therapy FAQs…
A Letter From A Therapist: Issue 18
How can I find the right therapist for me? There are many routes to take when searching for the right therapeutic fit. The service provider you seek can vary but you’ll want to ensure the therapist is licensed in the state that you plan to be present in during therapy sessions. This may be an LPC (Licensed Professional Counselor) or LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Work) in the state of Connecticut or LMHC (Licensed Mental Health Counselor) or LICSW (Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker) in the state of Massachusetts. Most insurance companies can provide assistance through their provider locator tool/representatives. If you’d like to explore a therapist directory on your own to determine compatibility for your needs, Psychology Today (https://www.psychologytoday.com/us) is a wonderful tool to get you started. This website allows you to search for providers using various filters (i.e. location, demographics, specialties, insurance, etc.). In other circumstances, if a client become aware of a particular therapeutic modality or approach they would like to explore they can often search directories through the association that serves research and information. For instance, those interested in locating EMDR therapists would access the directory through the Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing International Association (https://www.emdria.org) and explore their “Find An EMDR Therapist” search feature.
Should I attend my sessions in office or via Telehealth? Fortunately we find ourselves in a time that we can access various healthcare providers remotely. This can be beneficial for a variety of reasons, whether it be to fit care in an otherwise busy lifestyle or to accommodate limitations for childcare and transportation. For others, office visits provide clients with an uninterrupted environment and can be useful for those without consistent internet connection or problematic households. Depending on your personal situation, your therapist may offer insights and recommendations for which environment is most appropriate but your comfort and preference do come into play. Answer this, where do you feel as though you can be most grounded and focused on self development and goal setting?
How long are therapy appointments? Standard psychotherapy appointments last 53 minutes - seems like an arbitrary number but this is what insurance plans consider as the length of a “clinical hour”. In practice it is a period of time that warrants therapeutic assessment and intervention as well as allows therapists a brief reprieve to complete documentation outlining a summary and insights into the patient’s health record. Depending on the personal and therapeutic needs of each individual client, 45 or 30 minute sessions might also be options to consider.
How long will I be in therapy for? This is a very individual based inquiry and is determined upon what a you are seeking therapeutic services for. If you are looking to debrief and process a particular recent difficulty in a more short-term manner, then your treatment will likely reflect that. If instead you’re electing to maintain therapeutic services to proactively treat chronic conditions or to manage expansive historical difficulties with a provider, your treatment may be more long-term. The length of treatment is expected to be determined collaboratively between treatment provider and clients. Additionally, frequency of sessions can influence longevity of services (i.e. some clients greatly benefit from intensive frequent appointments to quickly enhance symptom management and promote achievement whereas others who have achieved maintenance status of management attend less frequently).
What happens when I meet my goals for therapy? You should firstly celebrate the strides you have made and see goal completion as a significant achievement! Once completing your therapeutic goals, your therapist will consider if there are any other areas of exploration needed at this time and whether treatment referrals to other providers are warranted. If you are satisfied with your accomplishments then you have completed therapy to your satisfaction. And, like any part of our health and wellness, if a need for treatment arises again in the future - consider reengagement!
