How to Find a Good Online Therapist?

Online therapy can be a great option for adolescents and adults who need mental health or substance abuse counseling, but who don’t have adequate access to a psychiatrist, psychologist, licensed counselor, licensed social worker, or licensed marriage and family therapist.  Many therapists and psychiatrists in Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, Houston, San Antonio, Midland, Lubbock, and other cities throughout Texas now offer some form of online therapy.  In fact, any therapist or psychiatrist who is licensed in the State of Texas can offer online therapy to residents of Texas.  (It is important to note that therapists are only able to provide treatment to those individuals who reside in the state in which they are licensed.)  As a result, if you live in Texas, online therapy allows you to access the expertise of different therapists and psychiatrists throughout the state of Texas.  In order to help you maximize the benefits of therapy, we have listed some steps that you can take to find the best online treatment for your needs. 
  • Clarify your goals for therapy. – To find the right online therapist, it is helpful to have clarity about the goals that you want to accomplish while in therapy.  The more clarity you have about your goals, the easier it is to find an online therapist that can help you reach your goals. 
  • Clarify the type of online treatment that best addresses your needs. – The most common types of online treatment that are available include:
    • Individual Therapy – In individual psychotherapy, a person usually meets weekly with a therapist to work through their concerns or problems.  Some of the problems most frequently addressed in individual psychotherapy include depression, anxiety, PTSD, anger issues, stress management, and relationship problems. 
    • Couples Therapy – In marriage/couples therapy, a person and their partner usually meet weekly with a therapist.  The focus of treatment is often to learn more effective communication and conflict resolution skills.  Therapy may also focus on healing old wounds, including past infidelity.
    • Family Therapy – A family therapist often works with the entire family.  The focus of treatment is often on changing the way the family system functions and on improving communication and developing conflict resolution skills.  Therapy usually is done weekly but can be more or less frequent depending on the severity of problems.
    • Group Therapy – Group therapy allows an individual to interact with other people who may be experiencing similar problems.  These groups are typically led by therapists who have specific clinical expertise and who have specialized training in group therapy.   For example, a therapist who specializes in eating disorders may lead a group that focuses on developing healthy eating habits. 
    • Medication Management – Medication management is typically provided by a psychiatrist.  The focus of medication management is often to help stabilize a person’s mood.  Treatment sessions typically are brief and are geared specifically to medication issues.
    • Intensive Outpatient Treatment – If once per week therapy is not enough, Intensive Outpatient Treatment might be appropriate.  Intensive Outpatient Programs often provide both therapy and medication management.  Some of these programs focus specifically on substance abuse, while others focus on mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD.  Most Intensive Outpatient Programs are for about 3 hours per day 3 to 5 days per week. 
  • Identify therapists or treatment programs that specialize in treating your areas of concern. – Remember that while most therapists work with a variety of issues, many develop expertise in specific areas.  When seeking an online therapist, it is often helpful to ask them about their experience in working with your types of issues. 
  • Find a therapist that you have a connection with. – Not every therapist will be a match for you.  Even if a therapist has enormous experience and expertise in working with your types of issues, it doesn’t mean that you will automatically connect with them.  Each therapist has their own unique personality, training, and approach to treatment.  To maximize the benefit of therapy, it is important to find someone that you feel comfortable working with. 
  • Useful Tips for Finding a Therapist. – Some useful ways of locating online therapists include:
    • Ask trusted family and friends for recommendations.
    • Check with your insurance company regarding their list of approved providers.
    • Internet searches can provide useful insight into a therapist’s areas of expertise.
    • The state licensing boards often provide lists of therapists that are currently licensed in your state.
    • When you have found a preliminary list of possible therapists, call them to learn more about their practice and areas of expertise.
New Dimensions Can Help!
If you reside anywhere in Texas, including Katy, The Woodlands, Clear Lake, Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, El Paso, Laredo, San Antonio, Amarillo, Lubbock, Beaumont, Tyler, College Station, Odessa, Midland, Plano, Huntsville, Lufkin, Houston or surrounding areas, and are struggling with mental health or substance abuse issues, New Dimensions can help.  New Dimensions provides Online Partial Hospitalization and Intensive Outpatient Treatment to Adolescents and Adults who reside in Texas.  Our programs are ideal for individuals who need more than once per week therapy, but who don’t require inpatient treatment.  To learn more about our programs, call us at 1-800-685-9796.

28 April, 2020

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