Looking for a Therapist? Let’s Break it Down
By Emily Hill (MSW, RSW (Ont.)
We’ve spent a lot of time collectively talking about mental health in recent years, particularly on the heels of the COVID-19 pandemic. We hear ad campaigns for virtual supports like Better Help on our favourite podcasts; TV shows and films increasingly feature storylines about someone experiencing a mental health crisis, and you might find more people around you disclose that they have been or are currently on medication for their anxiety or seeing a therapist for depression. Perhaps because of this, you’ve considered seeing a therapist yourself.
We often hear the refrain “Where do I even start?” through the calls we receive via our Navigator mental health referral service. And it’s a good question. Many people provide counselling and support, but who is the right person for you? And how do you find them? We’re going to break this down so that you can get started.
What is a therapist? Let’s talk about different types of mental health practitioners.
A therapist (or counsellor, no matter which term you choose) is a mental health professional. They may be a social worker, psychologist, psychotherapist, or medical doctor (MD). These different designations require different kinds of education and have different approaches, but all of them can provide mental health support. We get into more detail about their differences in our webinar, but the main difference is whether you are seeking medication, talk therapy, or a combination of the two. Doctors (usually psychiatrists, but also sometimes general practitioners or family doctors) can provide a formal assessment (in other words, they may be able to diagnose you) and prescribe medication. Social workers, psychologists and psychotherapists engage in different forms of talk therapy. The most important thing is to find a therapist who is licensed and/or affiliated with a professional body (i.e. the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario or the Nova Scotia College of Social Workers.)
What kind of support are you looking for?
Are you experiencing anxiety at work? Dealing with the loss of a loved one? Are you a member of the neurodivergent community and looking for tools to use in your day-to-day life? There are as many reasons to seek counselling as there are people in the world. However, most therapists will have some sort of specialization. For example, some therapists are trauma-informed, meaning that they have training in how to support people experiencing trauma. Others may work mainly with people who are caregivers or folks who live with anxiety. You do not need to have the exact words for what is going on or have a formal diagnosis of, say, anxiety or depression before seeking support, but some people find this helpful.
Therapists also provide different types of support, including talk therapy, somatic and art therapy, and others (which we get into more detail about in our webinar). You may have already heard of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), which involves considering how our thoughts and feelings affect our behaviour. CBT is one of many types of talk therapy.
There may also be other factors you will find important in choosing your therapist that go beyond their specializations or approaches. They may include their lived experience, such as being a member of the 2SLGBQIA+ community, their racial identity, and whether they provide in-person or virtual therapy. For many members of the entertainment industry communities, it’s vital that a therapist can meet with them outside of the usual office hours, such as evenings and Sundays. Taking stock of these things before starting your search will help focus your efforts. Also, you just may not know what you are looking for, and that’s okay too.
What about the cost?!
Therapy can be expensive (usually anywhere between $100-$300 per session), so taking the time to consider what you can afford is necessary right out of the gate.
If you have extended health benefits through your employer, union, or guild, this may help pay for all or a portion of the cost. If you don’t already have a copy of your benefits booklet, contact your employer or union and ask for one. Benefits for mental health care may be a set amount available to you each year (for example, a maximum of $500 per year), or a percentage of the cost of a single therapy session (for example, 70% of the cost, up to a maximum of $80 per session).
If you do not have benefits, you will need to pay the entire cost of a session out of pocket. One way to reduce this cost is to look for therapists who provide services on a sliding scale, subsidized rate, or “pay what you can” model. Many communities also have “walk-in” counselling services, which are free.
Your employer or union may also have an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), which will provide free, short-term counselling (usually over the phone). While you may not end up with the same therapist every time you call, this is an excellent option for folks who are looking for immediate support and do not have the ability to pay.
Where do I start?
Often, folks are turned off by the idea of typing “therapy + Halifax” into their browser simply because they just don’t know how to gauge the quality of the search results. And that’s understandable, as you will likely get hundreds, if not thousands, of possibilities to sift through. In comes Psychology Today’s Therapist Finder, which is a great option. It allows you to filter your search results by location, gender preference, presenting issue and cost, among other things.
You can also use our Navigator mental health referral program, where you can speak with a social worker who can help narrow down what you’re looking for and point you in the right direction.
What else to consider?
A good therapist will offer you a complimentary consultation over the phone. Finding a good match between therapist and client should be as crucial to a potential therapist as it is to you! You can briefly share what you think you’re looking for and when and how you would like to meet. For example, they may only provide sessions virtually, which may not be right for you. Perhaps you need to have a consultation with a few potential therapists before finding someone you would like to try.
Remember – you do not need to know precisely what you are looking for and may not “feel better” right off the bat. As Hayley Schmalz, a Registered Social Worker and the coordinator of The AFC’s Counselling Pilot, says, “Sometimes the therapy world can be very prescriptive, in that there are many buzz words about diagnoses and treatment options. One analogy I compare it to is when we have an infection, we seek support from a doctor, maybe we get antibiotics, we follow through in taking them, and the infection goes away. Mental health is more nuanced; it ebbs and flows.”
Therapy is not a matter of taking all your problems and removing them from your life. It is about working together with someone to learn more about yourself and how to cope and be resilient in the face of life’s inevitable ups and downs.