Understanding Mental Health
Choosing a Mental Health Provider
Choosing a mental health provider or therapist is different from choosing a physician for treatment of physical ailments. When people look for a doctor one most often seeks a physician who has excellent credentials and experience in the necessary field. The personality characteristics of the doctor and his/her communication style, while not unimportant, generally play a secondary role in the choice.
Unlike most physician visits, mental health care can involve many hours of one-on-one communication with your therapist and often an ongoing relationship over time. Therefore, choosing a mental health care provider should involve a frank assessment of the therapist's personal and interaction style and how these match with your own personality and needs, in addition to an evaluation of the provider's clinical competence and reputation. Before you begin selecting a therapist, ask yourself the following questions:
Some content courtesy of MedicineNet
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