Therapy is for the treatment of mental wellness disorders and to deal with concerns such as life adjustments, life transitions, communication, and more. In therapy, clients work to address emotional distress and mental health concerns. It is also known as psychotherapy and counseling.
Therapy provides a relationship-driven treatment environment to address concerns and improve lives through the client-therapist relationship. The therapeutic relationship is paired with individual modalities and techniques used by the mental health therapist. It’s less about just talking, and more about how the relationship between therapist and client evolves, leading therapists to find the right interventions for each client.
Something to remember is that therapy is often focused on the clinical. It is concerned with diagnosable mental health and emotional wellness issues but can also be focused on issues that don’t interfere as strongly with your day-to-day life.
Of special note: therapy can only be provided by a licensed individual – someone who has been specially trained. Mental health professionals go beyond life coaches and are also not the same as doctors or psychiatrists. However, there can often be some overlap.
What is a mental health therapist?
A mental health therapist is a trained, licensed professional who has studied the theories, techniques, interventions, and integrations of the therapy profession. These professionals are trained to diagnose and treat mental illnesses, trained in rehabilitation services, and act as support professionals.
Therapists are impartial third parties that offer a relational space to help clients learn, grow, and heal. They are specifically trained in the ways that may best suit the client to make these changes.
The titles can vary based on licenses. For example, I am a Marriage and Family Therapist, but I primarily work with women and focus on areas of anxiety, depression, chronic illness, and stress. Other MFTs focus on couples or families, while others focus on children and teens. Other titles based on licenses include Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), and Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC).
Each of these licenses covers most kinds of mental health therapy, but each training is a bit different, and each state has its own requirements. Therapists often specialize in different areas of service, and as we’ll discuss later, this can help you narrow down your search for the right therapist.
What licenses should I look for?
In any case, legally and ethically, anyone who is advertising as a mental health therapist should have a license from their state. People with licenses typically disclose that at the outset, so it is easy to spot them. Though, others use the term “therapist” or “counselor” without a license, but typically only do so in places where those terms are unregulated.
Some licenses to look out for when choosing a therapist are:
- LMFT: Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
- LCSW: Licensed Clinical Social Worker
- LPC: Licensed Professional Counselor
- LMHC: Licensed Mental Health Counselor.
- PhD/PsyD: a psychologist typically holds these credentials and can also be specifically licensed in their state. Psychologists are often also able to provide mental health therapy,
In your state, there may also be certified counselors for things like drug and alcohol treatment, family counseling, and others. Look for these specific licenses by state. The important thing is to note that it is regulated by the state in which you find yourself.
What skills do therapists have to help with these problems?
Therapists develop several skills as they work in the mental health field.
Active Listening
Therapists develop this specific listening technique which is focused on the person they are conversing with. It is a way to stay connected with clients, and to show that the therapist is tracking with what is being discussed. This is where therapists can mirror back, paraphrase, and inquire for clarity. This also helps the therapist be able to retain what is being said so they can offer appropriate feedback.
Empathy
Empathy is the ability to understand what others are feeling. It’s deeper than sympathy, which is just feeling bad or concerned for someone else’s circumstance. Empathy is being able to identify and put yourself in the shoes of someone else.
Through empathy, therapists ask questions, observe clients where they are, and choose the right interventions in the moment. Empathy also helps the client feel seen and heard, which is important for clients who struggle with exactly that.
Mirroring
Mirroring is the act of (often subconsciously) imitating or repeating the mannerisms, gestures, and words of another. Therapists can do this subconsciously, but they also use mirroring to help reflect back to clients. This helps clients make connections and become aware of their behavior.
Observation
Therapists become good at observing even minutia in others’ behavior. Therapists use this observation to move therapy forward. They can directly point these observations out to the client to address the behavior on the spot, or they use the observations to help in treatment planning, guiding the sessions, or just note them for future sessions.
Communication skills
Therapists get to a place where they can recognize body language, along with tone, word choices, and more. Therapists also get to a place where they are well versed in speaking assertively, reflecting back to their client, concise communication, and redirection.
These along with many other communication skills help shape the therapy experience, no matter the modality or chosen interventions. At its root, therapy is about the relationship, and communication is a key component of that.
How do I choose a therapist?
Given all of this, how do you choose a therapist?
Assess your goals
What are you seeking services for? If you know you want to treat depression or anxiety, most therapists are well-versed in these two disorders. With other issues, you may want to seek out someone more specialized. If you, for example, are looking to heal your relationship with your partner or family dynamics, a family therapist may be your best choice.
Do you have a preferred modality or methodology?
Many therapists try to integrate different theories and techniques that work on a wide range of clients but often have that area of specialty or focus. If you already know you want to try CBT, you’d want to find a CBT-focused therapist.
Do you want to try EMDR?
You’ll need to find a therapist who specializes in that. Just like with the mental health concern specialty, finding the right methodology that fits with you can be important in choosing.
Consider the cost
Therapy can be expensive, but there are ways it can be less so. Perhaps you have insurance that will pay. If so, you’ll want to start with therapists who are in-network with your insurance. You can also look at going every other week, find sliding scales, and look into community mental health. Cost isn’t the biggest factor, but it can be a big factor.
Relational feel
When you do a free consult call or the initial session, do you connect with the person? In therapy, the therapist-client relationship is key. Does the therapist’s energy match what you’d want in a therapist? Do they put you at ease? Can you see yourself opening up to them (if not today, down the road)? Do you get the sense that they have a genuine positive regard for you? All of this is important when selecting a therapist.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions
You can ask about things that may make it difficult to work with a therapist. For example, perhaps you’d like a therapist of the same faith or political beliefs, it’s okay to ask them and gauge their answers. Perhaps neither of those matters to you, but you’d prefer something else or would like to know more about how they do therapy. It’s okay to ask.
Next Steps
Everyone can benefit from therapy for many reasons and in different seasons of their life. If this article resonates with you and you feel it’s time to begin your therapy journey, now’s a great time. Mental health therapists do what we do because we are passionate about helping people navigate their mental wellness and find their way to healing.
Here in Washington, the Seattle Christian Counseling network has many great therapists ready to do that for our clients. If you are ready to start your experience with counseling, give me a call or make an appointment. It could be the start of a wonderful mental health journey for you.
“Counseling” Courtesy of Andrej Lišakov, Unsplash.com, Unsplash+ License
