Therapist

Q. What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A. First, decide what outcome you want from a therapist. People see therapists for a variety of reasons. Some people have a specific symptom or problem that they want to resolve. Other people seek therapy just to have a person who listens to them and supports them to clarify their goals and for general wellness. Still others come to therapy to nail down a specific problem or to verify a diagnosis. Some people seek therapy because they need a report for court or other legal proceedings. Finding the right person for your needs can be facilitated by clarifying the reason you are seeking help.

Q. If you were a customer, what do you wish you knew about your trade? Any inside secrets to share?

A. Credentials alone are not a sound indication of competence with specific problems. Modern degree programs are becoming more generalized, without sufficiently specific training in particular problems. The theoretical orientation of the therapist (how they view problems and their solutions) underpins the techniques, way of interacting, and length of treatment for each therapist. For example, if a therapist believes that a problem is solely biochemical, they are not likely to try hard to solve the problem, because they don't believe the problem is solvable by their service. Therapists who advertise that they are eclectic or have multiple theoretical orientations may lack sufficient training in any of those modalities to be effective in any of them. Some theoretical orientations are simply incompatible because they are derived from different premises. A therapist who claims to be both psycho-dynamic and cognitive behavioral is likely neither psycho-dynamic nor cognitive behavioral.

Q. What questions should a consumer ask to hire the right service professional?

A. Do you treat this problem?
How long can I expect treatment to last?
Although every patient is different, what overall effectiveness do you have with this problem?
Is the frequency of treatment based on convention (weekly) or is it tailored to this problem?

Q. What important information should buyers have thought through before seeking you out?

A. Many people select therapist based on superficial factors like insurance coverage, location, or even the cost per session. When a problem is acute and seriously impacting functioning, it can be better and more cost efficient to find a therapist who is highly effective and efficient with the problem, even if they are further away or you have to pay out of pocket. The price per session is less important than the total cost of therapy. A therapist that charges $50/session and takes 50 sessions to resolve a problem is more expensive than a therapist that charges $150/session and requires 10 sessions.