How To Select A Mental Health Professional
When it comes to one's mental health, an individual cannot be too careful in terms of selecting a mental health professional. Good mental health is the key to quality living and selecting a mental health professional that can help someone return their life to one that is conducive to quality living is extremely important.
It happens to the best of us: one day you find yourself in need of a mental health professional. It doesn’t matter what the reasons are or why you feel the need to see a mental health professional, once you have decided it is time to see one, it is imperative that you find a professional that can assist you will all of your mental health needs. You may find that you want to speak with a mental health professional because you have been under a lot of stress, you are experiencing depression, or perhaps a loved one is experiencing a mental illness. Regardless of why you need a mental health professional, knowing how to select a mental health professional that is qualified to handle your needs is vital.
Deciding to see a mental health professional when you need one is a major step toward improving your quality of living. For that matter, a mental health professional needs to be someone that you are comfortable working with, and you must feel comfortable sharing any issues and concerns you have. If you do not find a mental health professional that you feel comfortable with, any efforts at entering into counseling will come to naught.
There are times in one’s life when seeking out a mental health professional is a dire emergency. That being the case, it is a good idea for the individual to contact a hotline to get the mental help they need immediately. Meanwhile, for those individuals that are seeking counseling for mild depression, stress related issues, or for issues that are not an emergency, the individual can take the time to seek out a professional they are comfortable with. The individual may want to have a consultation with one or more mental health professionals to see if they feel comfortable in their presence and if the professional communicates effectively.
Again, if an individual has suicidal tendencies or are experiencing psychotic thoughts, there is no time to waste in terms of finding a mental health professional. In fact, short of finding a hotline to call, the individual may want to pay a visit to the hospital emergency room. In the hospital, the doctors can then direct the patient to the right mental health professional while securing the individual’s safety.
There are a number of things you should consider when looking for a mental health professional. Cost will obviously be a consideration. If you have health insurance, your visits with a mental health professional may be covered. It is important to get such questions cleared up before the doctor’s visit. If you find a mental health professional that does not accept your insurance coverage, look for a professional that does accept it: insurance payments can significantly reduce the amount you will have to pay out of pocket.
You will want to find a mental health professional that is friendly and fully qualified for the job. You must be able to communicate openly with the mental health professional you choose if you really want to get anywhere with your counseling sessions. You may want to get the recommendation of friends or family members that have received counseling before. Or, if you are a very private individual and you don’t want your friends or family to know, you can turn to the yellow pages to find mental health professionals in your area.
There is a variety of different mental health professionals to choose from when you decide to enter into counseling. First, there are psychiatrists that are completely trained in all aspects of medicine. The difference between a psychiatrist and any other counselor is that psychiatrists can prescribe medication to patients, whereas other counselors will have to send you to a general practitioner for any medication they think you will require.
Another alternative when it comes to mental health professionals and counseling can be found in Advanced Practice Registered Nurses. Advanced Practice Register Nurses are trained in psychiatry and are certified for counseling services. The main consideration when it comes to Advance Practice Registered Nurses is that some insurance policies may specify the counselors you can see and for what reasons. Insurance policies may also define how many visits you can have. Often times, insurance policies will only cover visits to less expensive mental health professionals and the alternatives that they offer.
Another alternative when it comes to mental health professionals lies in your ability to choose a licensed psychologist. Psychologists are not the same thing as psychiatrists and patients often get the two terms confused. Essentially, the primary difference between psychiatrists and psychologists is that psychiatrists can give their patients prescriptions and psychologists are not permitted to do so by law.
You also have the option of selecting a licensed clinical social worker. A clinical social worker acts much the same way psychologists do and are educated in all forms of counseling. Some may focus of family counseling and others may focus on individual counseling. You will need to find out the counselors specialty before the initial consultation takes place.
As you can see there are a number of options open to you. All of the above mentioned mental health professionals are highly qualified individuals ready to assist you. All you need to do is to take the first step and make a phone call to set up an initial consultation.
Some people prefer going to their primary care doctor to get their advice about who they should see when it comes time to seek out a mental health professional. For those individuals that want an extreme level of confidentiality regarding their care, this is an excellent option. A primary care physician will be familiar with good counselors in the area and the individual can be referred to them. In fact, some insurance policies insist on referrals. You will need to check your insurance policy to be sure.
Some companies offer employees benefits that include referrals to mental health facilities. This is a good idea if the employee doesn’t mind talking to someone on the phone about the issues they are having so that the representative can get a sense about what the issue is about. In contrast, instead of asking friends or relatives, some people speak to the clergy in their area. Some clergy offer limited counseling services, but can definitely assist you in finding the counseling you require.
You can rest assured in knowing that any and all visits to a counselor or mental health professional are completely confidential. The only time the confidentiality rule is wavered is if you are a threat to yourself physically. At that time, the counselor must contact the appropriate authorities to ensure your continual safety.
Upon the initial consultation you will be required to answer a lot of questions. This is the counselor’s way of getting to know you as well as an effort to understand your situation. At first, you may feel awkward: this is completely normal. It may take several sessions before you begin to feel that you can open up to a person and really express how you are feeling.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions at the initial consultation. Ask questions pertaining to what the mental health professional feels is a good plan to get you back on track and how long he or she feels it will take to implement such a plan. Also be sure to ask about payment: you will want to clear payment issues up before getting into extensive counseling.
There are many questions that you will have when you first meet with a mental health professional and it is important that you don’t overlook the most important questions. You may not be able to get an immediate diagnosis as it may take several sessions to determine what is going on and how to effectively remedy the situation. Nevertheless, you can still ask if the counselor has a diagnosis and how they plan to treat you.
Once you find out about the treatment plan be sure to ask what the advantages and the disadvantages are related to your issue. How long will it take you to recover? What time frame will you need to be in counseling? What other treatments are there for your condition? Are there natural treatments that you can use to speed your recovery? Such questions are important to ask when speaking with a mental health professional.
When it comes time for payment, many mental health professionals are fairly flexible. Some accept insurance payments, cash, checks, credit cards, and others will even offer a sliding scale for patients that do not have insurance coverage. When it comes to your mental health, affordability should not be an issue: there are many mental health professionals willing to work with patients that have restricted finances.
In terms of insurance, you are going to need to review your policy. Again, insurance policies will define what kind of doctor you can see, what kind of treatment you can receive, and how many sessions the insurance will cover. It is your responsibility to understand your health insurance policy. If you don’t understand your policy, you will need to call the insurance company to clarify the policies restrictions and coverage.