How to Find a Depression Therapist That's Right for You

Are you in need of a good depression therapist but not sure where to start? Hey, you're not alone. I wouldn't sugarcoat the truth for you. Finding the right therapist can be a frustrating and daunting endeavor. But don't be discouraged. This article will give you the tools needed to find a therapist who'll help you heal and get your life back on track.

How To Find a Therapist for Your Depression

1. Ask for referrals

Getting help for depression can be hard. Make things easier by asking those you trust for advice on finding a good therapist. You already have a network of people you trust – friends, family, co-workers, lawyers, dentists, and other professionals.

Don't feel pressured to go into detail on why you want to speak to a psychotherapist. It's enough to say something like: "I'm going through some stuff right now, can you recommend/suggest me a therapist who can help me?"

2. Explore different forms of psychological treatment

In my talk therapy days, I would pick my therapist without a lot of thought. I just knew that I wanted to feel better. I also knew that I didn't want to talk about my parents, my childhood, and the deep, dark secrets of my past.

If you want a more focused idea on how to pick a depression therapist, try these tips:

• If you believe that your problems with depression originated from your relationship with your family, consider trying family-oriented systems therapy.

• If you just want to work on your issues and don't want to delve into family-oriented issues try narrative, behavioral, or solution-oriented therapies.

• If you want to work on negative thoughts and want to change your behavior, try going to a cognitive behavioral therapist.

This list is short as there's a variety of talk therapy treatment options. But hopefully, you have a starting point when considering your talk therapy options.

3. Interview your potential therapist

Whether you get a name through a referral or from an online search, there are questions you may want to consider asking before moving forward.

Call the therapist you're considering and ask them the following questions.

- Where did you attend school?

Sure Ivy League schools are impressive, but the purpose of this question is simply to find out if the therapist went to an accredited school.

- Have you worked with people with my issues before?

Share with the therapist your current problems and take note of how she or he responds.

If you're thinking of going to a therapist who specializes in a certain treatment modality, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, make sure he or she has adequate training.

So, in other words, does the therapist have training through a two-hour online webinar or did they train with an actual organization?

- What's your fee?

Okay, so maybe you've found a therapist you can work with.

But before you make that appointment consider the hourly fee.

If you have health insurance make sure the therapist accepts your insurance.

If you don't have health insurance, there may still be a way to pay for treatment.

• If the hourly fee is too high, ask for a sliding scale or a reduction in the hourly fee.

• If the sliding scale fee is still too high you can request a referral to a therapist who does the same work but at a lower rate.

If these two money-saving techniques don't apply, you can try getting help from an intern at a psychology training clinic.

The good thing about working with interns is that you get two therapists for the price of one, and usually at a very low rate.

By this, I mean that you get to work with both the intern therapist and a supervising therapist. Not sure where to look for an intern?

What you can expect from therapy

And speaking of healing, there are a few other things to keep in mind when seeing a depression therapist.

1. Don't expect therapy always to be easy.

Remember you're going to therapy for a reason.  So expect that painful memories and feelings will surface. This is an expected (normal) part of treatment.

You'll have to face discomfort to get better. However, the therapist should be able to guide you through this process.

2. Don't expect the therapist to give you all the answers.

When I first started my talk therapy, I anticipated that the "wise, all-knowing" therapist would have all the answers for me.

Boy, was I wrong?

It wasn't until much later did I learn that therapy is a kind of collaboration. A good therapist should guide you and offer suggestions on how to make positive changes.

With that said, don't expect that therapy will solve all of your problems right away. Everyone's treatment course will be different.

The length of therapy will depend on the complexity of your issues.  Don't be afraid to ask about this at the first session.

3. Expect a bumpy ride

As I mentioned before, therapy wouldn't always be a piece of cake. It often takes a few sessions to feel a connection with your therapist.

Think of it as the "getting to know you" sessions.

During this time the therapist should ask about your mental and physical health background and what you expect to get out of therapy.

Time spent during the first few sessions will let you know if the therapist is the right fit.

Is your depression therapist a good match?

Okay, so you've got a list of names, did the research, found what seems like a good match, and went to your first appointment.

Do you think you've found someone to help you through your depression?

Ask yourself these questions when considering if a therapist is a good match.

- Does it seem like your therapist truly cares about and understands what you're going through?

- Do you feel accepted by your therapist?

- Is your therapist a good listener? Does he or she listen without criticizing, judging, or interrupting you?

- Do you feel you can be open and honest with your therapist?

- Do you feel comfortable revealing personal information?

- Do you feel emotionally safe with your therapist?

If you answer no to many or all of these questions, then your current therapist may not be a good fit. 

Don't feel bad or beat yourself up.

You can always find another therapist that will understand, respect, and help you heal.