By Malynn Kuangparichat, Psy.D., J.D.
Asking for help is difficult for many of us. And why is that the case? For some of us, we don’t want to be perceived as “not having it together” or we’re afraid to show our vulnerability. Maybe we’re afraid to appear needy or we don’t think anyone will understand or be able to help us.
Reaching out and asking for professional help, especially when struggling with stress, anxiety, relationship conflicts– just to name a few– is a sign of strength, not weakness.
Whether your struggles feel big or small, working with a therapist empowers you to learn effective skills that bring about powerful, positive changes in your life.
Your head and heart will say “thank you” because the benefits of therapy are long-lasting and transformational.
So, how exactly could that look in your life? A therapist equips you to better manage stress at work or school, conflicts with family or friends, or turn negative self-talk into self-compassion and positive affirmations.
Now, you’re at the point in the process where you are searching for a therapist that best fits your needs.
Do you go to the closest location? How important is it to you that a therapist comes from a similar background as yourself? Is it affordable?
With these (and more) questions in mind, I *cracked my knuckles* and put together 7 features for you to look for when choosing a therapy practice.
Tip #1: Look for Client-Centered Approach
When searching for a therapist or a practice, you can look to see if they use a client-centered approach in their therapy sessions. Basically, it’s a type of talk therapy that allows the therapist to expertly guide you in your journey of self-discovery (because, ultimately, you do know you best) as you steer the session.
Importantly, therapists come from a place of empathy, and use your strengths to help you navigate your issues.
In this type of approach, you may feel more comfortable with a therapist who understands or can empathize with your culture, background, and/or gender identity, as you look at those difficult moments and work through framing the story you tell for self-healing.
In our practice at CCWB, I call the client-centered approach “finding your story.” It’s an important thread in my therapeutic approach that helps you find your voice and tell your story in your own words– taking control or taking back control of your life.
You can learn more about defining your story on these posts here on Instagram or here on Facebook.
Tip #2: Find a Responsive, Patient, and Creative Therapist
Generally, on a practice’s website, or on their social media accounts, you can look for testimonials or reviews to get a feel for what it’s like to work with a specific therapy practice. You’ll want to see if they are responsive and patient. What do their clients say about their practice?
Here are some helpful questions you can ask yourself as you read their testimonials and reviews:
- Do they listen to the needs of their clients?
- Are they open with their communication?
- Do they follow through by adjusting sessions accordingly?
- Do they take the time to understand your needs or concerns?
Besides responsiveness and patience, you can set up an initial therapy session to find out if your therapist is rigid or creative with their therapy approach, which goes back to the Client-Centered Approach (see first heading).
Notice if your therapist has the creativity to take what they know about you and blend them with the appropriate therapy approach to meet your needs.
These are questions to keep in mind as you speak with your therapist.
- Are they using my strengths?
- Do they interpret my story with empathy to find a common thread?
- How are they using my history to help me?
- Are they using evidence-based best practices?
Tip #3: Gauge How Important a Community-Based Practice is For You
This may seem like a bonus feature, but look to see how involved the therapy practice is in your local and wider community. Many practices provide community workshops or find ways to serve the local community like running a tutoring service to meet psychoeducational needs (e.g., dyslexia, ADHD, etc).
You’ll find that these therapists are passionate about increasing mental health care accessibility to people in the greater community. What’s more, they really understand the needs of the people because of their deeper involvement with the community.
At our practice, we love to find ways to connect and serve our Chester County community. I’m hoping to launch a new venture at some point in the future, such as starting a doughnut shop that provides a safe space for forums around social skills training. Also, I’m hoping to expand our practice to another location in Chester County, and find ways to serve our large Spanish-speaking community.
Fingers crossed, when COVID subsides, I’d love to facilitate more talks, workshops, and lectures around mental health issues within the community.
Tip #4: Check Accessibility of Mental Health Services
There are a growing number of therapy practices that offer telehealth options now. Though technology has its pros and cons, I’m very much grateful that we can continue to provide high-quality therapy sessions via telehealth options.
Licensed psychologists approved by PSYPACT can provide telepsychology services in multiple states. Clinicians can also practice telehealth to anyone within the state.
On a different accessibility note, it’s also important to know that you feel seen and heard. That means, check to see if the practice offers different types of therapy such as group, individual, couples, and/or families, and if they have a team of clinicians who specialize in LGBTQIA+, people experiencing homelessness, or bilingual services.
Tip #5: Consider Affordability of Therapy Services
Okay, I know your wallet is probably screaming out to you, “Can I afford therapy????” I get it. Knowing you can pay for therapy is a big weigh-in for if you actually decide to get mental health care.
You’ll be surprised to find practices that offer a sliding scale or reducted fee option to keep mental health services affordable. When you visit a therapy practice’s website, see if they take your insurance. There’s usually a rates and insurance page that lists accepted insurance plans. You can check out our blog post that has a section on demystifying Insurance 101: How Your Insurance Works When Getting Therapy.
Tip #6: Find Out What Types of Testing the Practice Offers
A psychologist may offer psychological screeners, evaluations, and psycho-educational evaluations. You can ask about the rates for the screeners and evaluations, though these tend to be expensive, you may find out that some psychologists offer the testing at a more affordable rate for accessibility reasons.
Screeners are useful for clarifying disorders such as ADHD, mood disorders, or anxiety disorders, while psychological evaluations provide a comprehensive assessment of cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and social well-being. Psycho-educational evals clarify a child, youth, or adult’s cognitive functioning, academic achievement, & learning styles.
With the testing, psychologists or licensed clinicians may offer resources or services for next steps to help you understand the results and different plans of action to address the areas of need.
Tip #7: Look for Quality Care at All Levels
Besides wanting quality care from your therapist, it’s worth looking into the quality of care from all aspects: from that first call to scheduling future appointments. If you can, go into the physical location and feel out the overall atmosphere.
- Do you feel welcomed?
- How comfortable does the space feel to you?
- Is it warm and personable?
- Do they have a platter of doughnuts for clients in the front office? (Hey, a special treat once in a while lifts the mood!)
- When you speak to the front office manager, are they attentive and helpful?
When you find a therapy practice that emphasizes quality care and a personal experience, you’ll see that the therapists there take the utmost care of your needs by not only taking into account best practices and evidence-based approaches, but also your real concerns and needs.
Ways to Find a Therapy Practice
Now that you’ve got 7 ways to help you choose a therapy practice, you can go and find a therapy practice by asking your primary care physician for a referral. You can also do a broad search on the wonderful world of google for therapy practices in your county.
If you’re looking for a psychologist in PA, you can find them through the Pennsylvania Psychological Association. And, of course, please reach out to us at CCWB, Chester County Well-Being, and see if we might be a good fit for you.
Contact Us
Ready to take the next step for your well-being? Chester County Well-Being (CCWB) provides a range of mental health services to ensure we meet our community’s needs. Our clinicians and therapists offer teletherapy options for anyone in PA; Dr. Malynn Kuangparichat also provides high quality and secure telepsychology services in 17 other states. Contact us here.
You can connect with us on social media for all things mental health by following us on Facebook and Instagram.
Our specializations include:
- Therapy for Depression and Anxiety
- Couples Counseling
- Family Counseling
- Parenting Support
- Grief Counseling
- Work and Career issues
- Stress Management
- Addiction & Recovery
- Conflict Resolution
Who is on the CCWB team? Learn more about our clinicians and their specialties here.
Disclaimer: The contents of this blog does not constitute a clinical relationship or replace the need for professional services.
About the Author
Malynn Kuangparichat (Psy.D., J.D.) is founder and psychologist at Chester County Well-Being. Her areas of interests include depression, anxiety, interpersonal dynamics, grief and loss, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorders, and end-of-life issues.
She has a collaborative approach that results in highly tailored evaluations intended to meet her clients’ unique needs. She focuses on an individual’s strengths, which are integrated in the practical, personalized recommendations identified by the findings of an evaluation. In her free time, she enjoys running, spending time with family and friends, and getting ice cream or doughnuts from the local shops.