Tips For Finding A Specific Therapist?

[HypnoticallyChaotic]

Im not sure which type to look for. All I know is my dissociations are getting weirder again, I had at least one total black out moment that Im aware of, plus other dissociation moments that range from whats normal for me to slighty weirder but not too concerning.. and I think I need to see a therapist but I dont have one right now and I dont know which type to look for specifically... Google isnt being very helpful, either..

 

[Biz]

Psychology Today has therapist listings and a search tool. You can look up folks by many different categories. Consider looking up someone who specializes in trauma; they're the one's who will be able to provide resources for dissociation and dissociative episodes. There's a part of the 'therapist finder' tool you can use to search by issues. Also, you could search by Method: EMDR might be a good one in this search since it's inherently trauma-focused.

Personally, I spoke with and/or met 16 before I met my current therapist (I live in a decent-sized city).

 

[HypnoticallyChaotic]

Alright. I'll give that a try.

 

[WillyKat]

I always advise people to set up appointments with at least two psychologists. Psychiatrists are only necessary if you need meds; otherwise their training isn't very extensive for talking to clients. Psychologists can't prescribe meds, so all their training is focussed on talking. If you need meds, they can refer you.

Tell them you're shopping, looking for a good fit or good chemistry. That's a way to let them know that they work for you and not the other way around.

Pick the one that you feel would work best for you, and if none seem right, start again.

 

[HypnoticallyChaotic]

I always advise people to set up appointments with at least two psychologists. Psychiatrists are only n...

Ok

 

[barefoot]

I would agree that the key thing is to find someone experienced in working with trauma/ptsd. A therapist without that background/experience/knowledge will be less effective, I think, and may even turn out to set you back further by misunderstanding/mishandling what's going on for you.

And then, yes, I personally think it's vital to find a good fit with the therapist. Because no matter how great their experience/training/knowledge, if you don't feel at all comfortable with them, if you don't like them, if there's something about them that really jars with you....and if it doesn't feel like you can develop more positive rapport with them as you build your relationship together, they're probably not the right person for you to do this work with.

I guess also have a think about what you want/need from the therapist/the therapeutic relationship. For instance, humour is hugely important to me. A therapist without a sense of humour or a relationship where we don't ever laugh together...I'd hate it and it just wouldn't work for me. I also like to know that, if I really want or need to, I can text or email my therapist between sessions. I would be put off someone who said from the start that contact outside sessions (apart from making appointments) was a no go. I know this is common for many therapists, so I'm not making it wrong. It just isn't something I'd like.

So, I'd say that once you've got someone who knows what they're doing trauma-wise, the rest is down to personal preference in terms of finding the right fit - someone who you feel you can keep going back to, to sit and do the difficult work with week after week, who you feel a good connection with (or a connection that's probably as good as it can get at the moment, if trusting/connecting is very difficult for you) and who will help you to do the work in a way that suits you.

Good luck!

 

[HypnoticallyChaotic]

I think a therapist with a sense of humor would definitely be a good call for me. I've been using the website suggested, I got an email back from only one though. Not all accept my insurance, so it may be a bit of a search. If I can keep my mind in one piece long enough to find a good match though, that'll make things easier down the road.

 

[HypnoticallyChaotic]

Apparently I emailed more of them than I thought I did, and got an appointment set up that I wasn't aware of doing. Its tomorrow, so yeah. Hoping it goes well.