What is Therapy?
Therapy is a way of helping people improve on their emotional wellbeing and lead a productive lifestyle. It is an environment where you can express your concerns with a professional who is neutral and non-judgmental.
Therapy is a collaborative practice that depends on the relationship between the therapist and the person(s) seeking treatment. Most therapists provide support through evidence-based practice and treatments that have been proven to be effective from research.
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To learn more about therapy, click the button below for an easy summary written by our volunteer!
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Below is a list of considerations when seeking treatment for free therapy:
FOUR CONSIDERATIONS IN SEEKING A THERAPIST:
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Therapist qualifications. What is their educational degree? Masters (i.e. MA, MSW ), doctorate (Phd, PsyD). Are they a member of a regulatory body where members are required to adhere to a code of conduct, ethics, and where they are required to keep up training (i.e. R. Psych, RCC, RCSW, RPC, MPCC). Be aware that more letters after a name is not necessarily better as some associations have no membership requirements nor ongoing training requirements.
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Do they have training in the area you are seeking? Clarify the type of support you will be receiving. Usually those who are seeing specific populations such children or couples or substance use should be able to identify their extra (current) training qualifications. COVID-19 support is not typical short term therapy. In fact, some experts do not recommend typical CISD interventions (Critical Incident Stress Debriefing interventions).
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Do they make it clear what to expect from the service? Things like billing procedures, whether they are covered by your insurance, appointment cancellations, emergency services, email communications etc should be provided to you in writing.
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Do you feel they are professional and a good fit? Do they answer your questions respectfully and kindly? Is this someone you feel you can work with? Feeling comfortable with your therapist is a significant predictor of therapy satisfaction.