How to Find A Therapist & Where To Get Support
The F*ck Wellness podcast this week focuses on normalizing and destigmatizing therapy. The GTG Team (with the help of Emily Schwerdtfeger, a future marriage and family therapist) put together some resources to help you navigate therapy and mental health services. Let’s dive in!
How to Start Your Own Search
If you’ve never been to therapy and want a great tool for finding a therapist that aligns with your values and needs, Psychology Today is perfect. You can search for therapists by geography, specializations, gender, and price of sessions. Many therapists also offer a sliding scale, even if it is not directly written on their profile. If you find a therapist you would like to schedule with, call them up and ask them for their rates. Feel free to vocalize the amount you can pay and see if the therapist can accommodate you.
Another great resource is your employer’s health insurance plan or mental health resources. Many employers offer 3-6 free sessions as part of their agreement with employee wellbeing programs. Additionally, many health insurance companies subsidize therapy, allowing sessions to be as inexpensive as $30-$60 a session.
How to Support Others
The Jed Foundation is a great resource for tips on how to support those around you dealing with mental health issues. They also have collected hundreds of articles, movies, television shows, and other websites that are amazing tools for further reading and research.
Where to Keep Learning
Social media, though flawed, has a multitude of resources for those looking to keep learning. If you want to diversify your feed with more mental health content, follow these accounts:
For More Specialized Help
The Depression Bipolar Support Alliance is a good resource for those who deal with depression or bipolar disorder. They have online support groups and further research.
For our California listeners, this website provides the phone numbers for all the mental health hotlines and help in finding mental health services in California.
SAMHSA (The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) offers a free, confidential National Helpline 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service (in English and Spanish) for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders.
The Suicide Prevention Lifeline is also an incredible resource if you or someone you know needs support. The phone number is 1-800-273-8255.
The Trevor Project provides counseling and support for LGBTQ youth. They have a hotline (1-866-488-7386) and further resources.