How to Find an Anxiety Counselor in Spokane, WA
Making the decision to seek help from a professional to work through stress, overwhelm, and anxiety is tough all by itself. Then, it’s time to find a quality counselor who will actually be helpful. That can feel overwhelming - even daunting.
I am so honored when a friend, friend-of-a-friend or acquaintance asks me for advice on how to find a therapist. As a professional in the field, I’m able to ask a few questions and then help guide them. As you start the process of finding a counselor, you may find yourself immobilized by questions that feel impossible to answer. I hope the information below will help answer some of those questions and make it a little easier as you start this journey!
How to Find an Anxiety Counselor in Spokane, WA
Ask for recommendations from trusted people. Reach out to friends or family members and see if they know of any counselors they would recommend. This can be a little scary because mental health and wellness continues to be a topic we don’t openly talk about. But, if there is a person or two that you feel you can be vulnerable with, reach out. They may have seen someone themselves or know of someone else who might be helpful.
Do a good old Google search. This will generate hundreds of results. While this can also feel overwhelming, it can be a good place to start. Make a list of the counselors and counseling agencies that show up on the search. Then, keep reading - below there are some tips on how to determine if a particular counselor is a good fit for you.
WWW.PsychologyToday.Com is a directory of counselors located across the United States. Once you’ve entered your city or zip code, you can narrow the search by insurance and treatment area (i.e. ‘anxiety’ or ‘addiction’). This will generate a list of therapists in your area who specialize in that area of treatment. In most cases, you’ll be able to see a picture of the counselor, read a little about how they approach therapy, and link directly to their website.
Contact your insurance company. On the back of your insurance card, there should be a number for customer service. The suggestions that are made by your insurance company will more than likely be “in-network” with your insurance company. This is also a great time to ask what your “outpatient mental health benefits, in an office setting” are. The customer service representative should be able to tell you if you have a copay, deductible and/or coinsurance.
Ok, I’ve found someone, but are they a “good” counselor?
Once you’ve gotten several names of potential therapists it’s time to do a little research about the therapist and book a telephone consultation. Here are some suggestions as you navigate through this next part of locating a new counselor:
Think About What You Want and Need from Counseling. Are you someone who excels when you are allowed to freely explore thoughts and feelings, or is it more helpful to have someone guiding the conversation through questions and feedback? Do you enjoy doing work between sessions (“homework”) or would you rather not have tasks to complete or things to pay attention to during the week? Do you want a female, male counselor, nonbinary therapist, or does it matter? Are you looking for an individual therapist, a couple’s counselor or a family counselor?
Reviews. It can be helpful to read the online reviews of potential therapists, as you may be able to get a sense of their counseling style. As you’re reading, may find it curious that many of the reviews you see are from other counselors - this is completely normal. One thing that a lot of people don’t realize, is that most of the time it is unethical (and illegal in some states) for a counselor to solicit a review from current or past clients. Furthermore, counselors are not to respond to any reviews (positive or negative), as this may breach the confidentiality of the client.
Telephone Consultation. Research has shown over and over again that one of the main factors in the effectiveness of counseling is the relationship between the client and the counselor. It is important to find a therapist who is a good fit for you. I know that I’m not a good fit for everyone, which is one of the main reasons I do a 10-15 minute consultation call before scheduling an appointment. I recommend that you request to do this kind of consultation call as well. During this time, you’ll be able to ask any questions you may have generated from answering the questions above, learn about the therapy process and the areas of expertise of the therapist. It might be hard to believe, but you can get a pretty good sense of a person from just those few minutes. Trust your gut.
The First Session. During and after your first session with the counselor, pay attention to how it felt for you. Did you feel heard? Do you feel like you could grow to trust the therapist? Do you believe the therapist will be able to provide the guidance and support you’re looking for? The therapy process will be tough at times, but at the end of the day, you want to feel heard and understood - valued and accepted.
The next steps for getting started with anxiety therapy:
Reach out to the Counselor in Whatever Way Feels Most Comfortable to You. Many therapists these days are comfortable with direct phone calls, emails and text messages.
What to Say: Your name, contact information, and that you are looking to start counseling and would like to schedule a telephone consultation. It can also be helpful to leave times that you are available for the consultation call.
Hurry up and Wait: Because therapists are in and out of session all day, you’ll probably need to leave a message and it will take some time for the counselor to call you back. If you don’t hear back within a day or two, leave another message. If you still don’t hear back, contact another therapist.
