I'm Looking For A Depression Therapist Near Me — 10 Things To Consider
It can be difficult to find the right therapist for depression when you don’t know what to look for. This article will explore 10 things you will want to consider when looking for a therapist to treat your depression, including your goals and expectations, your therapist’s background and credentials, what kind of out-of-pocket expenses you’ll be expected to pay, and whether they practice in-person or online.
1. What am I hoping to get out of my sessions?
In most cases, you should consider what you want to get out of therapy in terms of results before starting therapy sessions, but it's okay if you don't know the answer. If you're depressed, you may want to regain control of your emotional wellbeing and feel better.
Going into your treatment with a clear idea of what you want to achieve can help your therapist know what area to focus on to help you get your desired results.
2. Am I comfortable with this person?
You should be comfortable with your therapist, but you may not know who you're comfortable with until you have already met with them once or twice. To account for this, you may check to see if your therapist choices offer a complimentary session to see how you fit together.
If you find that you feel uncomfortable with your therapist, find a new one to work with. Don't feel like you need to give them any explanation; most therapists will understand if you decide to move forward with another provider. Their goal is to help you get the best treatment for you, and they may be able to recommend you to someone else.
3. What kind of experience do they have?
It can also be helpful to find out how long a therapist has been practicing; it's not that a new therapist will not help you, but you may feel more confident working with someone that has been in the field longer and has more experience. If you choose to go the route of working with a new therapist, you may want to find one working with a clinical supervisor with more experience. This can help give the therapist more confidence because they know that they have someone to turn to with any questions.
4. What type of credentials do they carry?
People refer to many different types of mental health professionals as therapists, including marriage and family therapists, social workers, psychiatrists, psychologists, and school counselors. When you're looking for a mental health professional to work with, it’s a good idea to understand what credentials they have. This can help you understand what type of treatment they will be able to offer you.
For example, psychiatrists are generally known for prescribing medication such as antidepressants to help you with your symptoms. While they can do psychotherapy, many choose to refer that type of service out to a psychologist. Understanding your needs will help you look at the credentials and determine who the right professional is for you.
You can find out what credentials a therapist has by looking at the letters that follow their name.
5. Where are they located?
When you're experiencing symptoms of depression, the thought of getting out of bed, getting dressed, and driving across the city can feel overwhelming. This is why it's helpful to choose a therapist located close by. You may also have insurance to consider, which might mean choosing from a limited list of local providers.
More specialized providers may be worth traveling to see. Consider what sort of time and budget you are willing to commit to traveling for treatment.
6. How much does a therapy session cost?
With mental health challenges such as depression, it can be difficult to predict how many sessions you're going to need with a therapist. If the sessions are not affordable to you, it may be more likely that you will cancel them instead of keeping them.
The cost of therapy is one of the major hurdles many people face in getting treatment for depression and other mental health disorders. Before you choose a therapist to work with, find out how much their per session cost is and if there's a different price for the initial session. Many times, the initial session is going to be more money than the ones that follow.
A few things that you should consider when looking at the cost include your health insurance company and any special pricing options. For example, some therapists will offer sliding scale fees, lowering the cost for people based on their annual income and dependents.
7. How many therapy sessions will I need to attend?
As mentioned above, it can be difficult to estimate how many therapy sessions you will need when you're struggling with depression. There are different types of therapy and treatments that can last different amounts of time. If you're wondering how many sessions you will need, talk to your therapist to see what they recommend.
8. Do they provide any options for in-between sessions?
A therapist may want to meet with you every week, or it may be that there's more time in between sessions. This may mean that you have questions or concerns that go unaddressed for long stretches of time between sessions.
Ensure that you ask what type of options the therapist offers if you need to reach out to them in between sessions.
9. Do I need to involve anyone else in my therapy sessions?
There may be times in your life when you need to include other people in your therapy sessions. For example, if you're dating or married and struggling with depression, it can be helpful to have a few sessions with your partner.
Ask your therapist what their policies and procedures are for bringing in additional guests to your therapy sessions.
10. Will I follow through on going to appointments?
Depression can rob you of your motivation to do what you know is best for you, including seeking help by going to therapy. So, before you choose a therapist to work with, make sure you consider if you're really going to follow through with your appointments.
Get support with online therapy
If you feel like you're likely to continue to cancel them, using the reasoning of travel overwhelm or similar barriers, online counseling could be a better fit for you. Online therapy can make treatment more accessible for those with depression and other mental health conditions by allowing them to seek treatment from the comfort of home.
It’s also been proven to be just as effective as in-person therapeutic treatment. This means that you don’t need to worry about losing quality with online sessions or providers for the sake of accessibility or convenience.
Takeaway
Depression is something that a combination of treatments can best overcome. What works the best for you may not be the same thing that works for someone else. Talking with a therapist about your depression can be the right step to getting you on the path to recovery.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
How much does it cost to see a therapist for depression?
On average, in-person therapy will cost anywhere from $50-$150 per one-hour session, depending on the types of therapy, the therapist’s experience and credentials, and the level of treatment you receive.
Depending on the severity of your depression symptoms, you may need to find a more familiar therapist with different types of therapy and depression treatment. Additionally, once you find a therapist, they may need to refer you to a psychiatrist to be prescribed medication. These visits can quickly add up in price if your insurance doesn’t cover the visits.
Alternatively, for anxiety and depression, online therapy is a viable and extremely effective option for most people. However, the cost is significantly more affordable, typically between $60-$90 per month. With that, the site will help you find a therapist, and you will be able to text and email them as much as you need to. Additionally, you’ll get at least one video call per week with your therapist.
This is an affordable and convenient way to receive talk therapy or behavioral therapy, particularly for anxiety and depression. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, talk therapy is just as effective as in-person therapy for most people.
- How much does it cost to see a therapist?
See the above answer.
- Which form of therapy is most effective for major depression?
In severe cases of anxiety, depression, or a mix of the two, cognitive behavioral therapy is the most effective form of treatment, according to studies done by the Anxiety and Depression Association of America.
Unlike other conditions, such as drug and substance abuse or eating disorders, other methods such as group therapy are ineffective. In cases of severe anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder, a more one-on-one approach is typically more effective, particularly when you find a well-versed therapist in a variety of different treatment methods.
- How much does therapy cost in the UK?
A therapy session in the UK costs between 120-180 pounds a session. That translates to anywhere from $167-$250 per hour-long session, which is significantly more expensive than in America. However, there may be government support options that will help lower the cost if you meet certain eligibility requirements, so it would be worth looking into if you live in the UK.
- What do I do if I can't afford therapy?
If you can’t afford therapy but still need to find a therapist or counselor for treatment, there are a few available options.
- If you have insurance, speak with your insurance provider and determine if they cover any mental health care. In many cases, most insurances will provide you with a few therapy visits per year that only require a small co-pay.
- If you don’t have insurance, there are mental health care options available through Medicaid if you qualify. Contact your state health department for more information.
- Check with your employer. Many employers offer employee programs that offer free mental health care with certain providers a certain number of times per year. Ask your HR for more information.
- Seek out a training clinic. Much like a training hospital, training clinics offer severely discounted rates for clients. This is a perfectly safe option, as when you find a therapist in training this way, you can be assured that they are under the mentorship of a seasoned and well-trained psychologist. This is a good option for people with anxiety, depression, and phobias.
- Find a support group that is for people dealing with what you may be struggling with. While not the same thing as a therapist, they are typically moderated by someone with some training and hearing other peoples’ experiences can sometimes help. Support groups exist for virtually any struggle, condition, or experience, so this may be a viable option if you cannot find a therapist.
- If you belong to a church or other place of worship, you should speak with your pastor, priest, minister, etc., to see any options they know of. For example, in many cases, places of worship offer support groups or work with therapists to help their congregation.
Finally, there is also the option to read self-help books. You can get many for free at the library or a discounted rate at a used book store. While they will not provide the same benefits that you would get from a therapist, they can still be incredibly helpful with many sensitive issues.
- Why is therapy so expensive?
Therapy can be quite expensive if you are looking to find a therapist that will treat you in their office. The reason for this high cost depends on the provider’s level of education, licensure status, specialized certifications, and level of expertise. Additionally, there are many costs that the therapist must account for, such as paying rent, staff, licensure, insurance, etc.
Unfortunately, there is no indication that this cost will be going down anytime shortly, considering the rising costs of education and rent. This is why online therapy has become such a popular and common option. An online therapist can afford to treat patients for a fraction of the cost because they have significantly fewer overhead costs associated with running their practice.
- Is therapy worth the money?
This ultimately comes down to the way each individual perceives its worth. However, many studies have shown that therapy is extremely beneficial to most people, including those without significant mental health conditions.
When you find a therapist that you trust, they can help you process difficult events and situations and help provide you with healthy coping mechanisms, relaxation techniques, and support when you need it most. Therapy is an extremely cathartic experience, and most people can benefit from a few therapy sessions throughout their lives.
- What is a full caseload for a therapist?
Most tend to have fewer patients, but there are a few on the higher end. A therapist can expect to see anywhere from 8-10 patients a day in a hospital setting.
How do I find the right therapist for myself?
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