Why Bargain Shopping for a Therapist is Not a Good Idea
When I first entered therapy, I did not feel like I "had the money" or did not want to "shell it out." That was seven years ago and the more I learn, the more I realized that I got what I paid for. I chose someone with a sliding scale, and let me tell you; we did not get much "work done." Quite the opposite, it was re-traumatizing. I wasted a lot of money and time with a therapist who was not highly qualified. I was negligent with my decision-making; I was trying to find a bargain. Maybe my experience can help someone else, here is what I should have considered when choosing a therapist.
Who Feels Trustworthy?
Therapy (i.e., diving into our emotional pain and wounding) is vulnerable, scary stuff, and we need to have a professional that we trust. Trust is a HUGE component of the work. Choose someone that you believe can help you. It takes A LOT of work, education, and professional development to become a competent psychotherapist. Whether you need to check out a person's background and google any acronyms that are foreign to you or meet a few different therapists, both sound like good ideas. Choose a professional based on how freely you feel to be yourself and your belief in their ability to help you, not on who is the cheapest. Find your financial range that you are willing to spend, go up $20, and meet three therapists in person in your area within that range.
Who Seems Competent?
Do some research. What do you want to work on? Would working with a female or male therapist be more comfortable? What are the outcomes you are hoping for? Briefly familiarizing yourself with some therapy modalities: CBT, DBT, EMDR, Brainspotting, IFS, Psychoanalytic (most therapists utilize multiple modalities). If a certain style calls to you, look for a therapist who has this specific area of training. Most therapists interweave CBT, so it is not necessary to search for a CBT therapist specifically. Each area of specialty should be additional training outside of their initial post-grad degree. You could ask the therapist- "I see you are trained in Internal Family Systems, was this through your Master's program or a specialized training?" Or “tell me about your training/background in Internal Family Systems?" In grad school, we get a general rundown of a lot of different modalities, that does not mean a therapist is proficient in facilitating that style of therapy.
You could ask a potential therapist, “What was the last training you attended?” To ensure that you are choosing a therapist that is staying current- The good thing about going with someone who is licensed (at least in Colorado) is that the state requires professionals to acquire 20 hours of continuing education each year. If you choose a therapist regulated under state licensure, then you can only assume they are meeting the professional development standards. Some examples of these acronyms are LPC, LAC, LMFT, LCSW.
Who is Professional?
I'm finding that working as a professional therapist is an expensive endeavor. Not only did I get (and pay for) a three year Masters degree, I was required to attend 30 individual therapy sessions and 70 hours of supervision, and that was all before even graduating!! This was just the START of individual therapy, oh yeah, then comes the supervision groups and more clinical supervision sessions. And then the licensing fees (I have two) and the national licensing exams (I took two- multiple hundreds of dollars each,) reinstatement fees, professional development, and trainings to stay in compliance with state regs and the trainings just because trainings are fun and inspiring! Blah blah blah! There is a lot going on behind the scenes and for good reason!!
Have you ever wondered, “Why is therapy so expensive?” Because it costs money to stay up to date in the field, go to group conferences, get supervision and continue your emotional work to best support your clients, and oh yeah and all the business ownership stuff.
The good thing about going with someone who is licensed (at least in Colorado) is that the state requires professionals to acquire 20 hours of continuing education each year. If you choose a therapist regulated under state licensure, then you can only assume they are meeting the professional development requirements.
Finding a good therapist is even challenging for therapists! Let alone for someone who is in the dark about the world of therapy and struggling emotionally, I feel for you! If you are thinking about starting therapy, consider some of the following suggestions:
Do some research, first, on a few different types of therapy and then, on certain providers in your area that you are drawn to.
Meet three therapists in person, even if you have the pay for the session. Your therapy outcomes will be greater if you take the time on the front end to find the right fit. You could even ask the therapist if it is possible to do the consultation in person versus over the phone. I would see no issues with that.
Find someone that you feel comfortable being yourself in front of and believe that they can help you.
Think about your return on investment. Ultimately finding a person is trained, professional and a good fit for you can impact the length of treatment, saving money and time in the long run.
The good news is there are tons of competent professionals in the Boulder/Denver area! If you are reading this and want to have a consultation with me, that would be great! Don’t hesitate, your healing journey awaits!