Your choice of therapist depends on what is important to you. Some factors to think about: are they licensed? how long have they been working in the field? what degree have they earned? what specialties or expertise do they have?

Licensing is important because it means that there is a state regulatory body overseeing the therapist. It also requires education and supervision in order to be licensed, as well as Continuing Education hours to maintain licensure.

Most therapists will have a masters or doctoral degree. Similarly for any specialties, there is a lot of variation, but you can always ask about any questions you may have!

For an article by Psychology Today about this topic, click here.

Largely therapists are grouped in two categories based on their graduate degree, doctoral and masters. Therapists with doctoral degrees are called Psychologists and they have either a PhD or PsyD. Psychiatrists are MDs (medical doctors) and usually do more medication management than therapy. PhD programs tend to focus more on research while PsyD programs are more about clinical care.

Master’s level clinicians will have a degree such as M.S., M.A. M.S.W. and if they’re licensed will be referred to as a Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC), Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFT), and Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW). The differences in these largely depends on the program and clinical experience of the individual.

Other letters will indicate specializations such as extra trainings and certifications. There are too many to list here, but you can google any of them and identify if the training is in an area pertinent to you and was completed through a reputable organization.

There are a lot of different options for therapy and it’s hard to know what is right for you until you experience it. Keep in mind that most people benefit most from the connection that they have with their therapist rather than necessarily any type of therapy. Psychology Today has a great article that dives into various types of therapy.

If you listen to podcasts, you’ve probably heard the relentless advertising of these virtual therapy sites. I won’t name names, but be cautious when using these companies that care more about their bottom line than your mental health. For example, the FTC has opened an investigation on one such company for violations against it’s clients (article here). Other similar sites have poor ratings with the Better Business Bureau for various reasons (article here).

Generally, it works similarly to other healthcare providers. You can call the number on your card and ask about your benefits, such as if your plan covers behavioral health services (that’s what they call it) and if so, what does the coverage look like? Mental health claims usually go toward your deductible if you have one. You can ask your insurance for any out of network benefits in your plan and a list of in-network providers. Psychology Today is also a great resource because you can filter by insurance to find an in-network therapist. This article has a good explanation of how insurance works and terms to know.

Each session is usually between 45-60 minutes.

There is no specific duration and it can depend on the issue, the frequency, and where each client is in their journey. Some people meet weekly, while others cannot fit that into their schedule and budget and meet less often. It all depends on what you’re able to give to this experience.

Insurances used to put limits on the number of sessions for a client; however, this is no longer the norm. You should always check your plan to know what it covers and what it does not.