Determining What You're Looking For With Mental Health Treatment
- Medical professionals tend to have more trouble selecting a therapist when they decide to seek mental health treatment, Dr. Marianna Strongin explains.
- There are simple questions to ask yourself when it comes to what you want out of therapy, including what kind of therapy you want, what would make you comfortable, and if you have a preference regarding the sex of your therapist.
- There are two main types of therapy, Dr. Strongin explains, one is more exploratory and the other focuses on implementing interventions right away.
“Doctors happen to be really selective about finding therapists and I think it’s one of the reasons that they don’t get into therapy earlier,” Dr. Strongin said. “So, I think it’s really important to figure out what it is you’re looking for.”
Read More Dr. Strongin suggests making a list of everything you’re looking for in a therapist, beginning with three simple questions:
- Would you prefer a male or a female therapist?
- Are you comfortable? (This can usually be gauged within the first phone call.)
- What kind of therapy are you looking for?
There are two main types of therapists, Dr. Strongin explained: psychodynamic, which means they are more exploratory, or therapists who use interventions right away, which could be something like cognitive behavioral therapy.
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