In this day and age mental health issues are being addressed and given the attention they deserve. Admittedly, the situation is far from ideal but the fact remains that things are way better now than what they were like before. In fact, looking for psychologists in Montreal is now as easy as finding basic information online.
The hard part, however, is in deciding who to go to. Choosing an expert to help you can be the trickiest thing to do, especially while you’re anxious and frightened with the idea of seeking therapy.
Here is a step-by-step guide that might just be able to help you in your search:
Table of Contents
1. Decide What Kind of Therapist You Should See
Before you start searching for a therapist, it’s very important to know that there are different kinds of therapists out there. Going straight to the right professional can help you get to the bottom of your concerns immediately which can be crucial in most cases.
Generally speaking, there are four kinds of mental health professionals that you can seek. Social workers, counselors, psychologists, and psychiatrists are all capable of addressing your concerns. They all offer different services, so it helps if you can differentiate their services.
Social workers, as many would know, are community experts that are usually trained to provide support to families and individuals. They usually assess a family or individual’s need for further treatment. They also provide support to communities that don’t have access to more sophisticated mental health treatments.
Counselors are a lot like social workers, except they’re licensed to handle patients. A Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) can also be a psychologist or a psychiatrist at the same time.
If you suspect that you’re suffering from a mental illness, a psychologist can be of help. They’re trained to test and diagnose patients if they do have one.
Psychiatrists also offer therapy, however, prescribe medication as they are M.D.s.
2. Ask Around for Recommendations
Asking friends, family, and colleagues for recommendations is the next thing you should do when searching for a psychologist in Montreal. It’s best to see a local therapist so they can already have a good idea of what your environment is like.
3. Look for the Basics
If you already have a few names to check out, the next step would be to research what they can do for you. To do this, you should look for the following information:
- What kind of license they have and how long they have had it.
- Their educational background.
- Their credentials. This includes their training and professional experiences.
- Their specialty.
- The kinds of treatments they use.
- Their rates and fees.
All of these can help you weigh your options. They can really come in handy when making a choice in the end.
4. Check Your Insurance
The fees for therapy sessions with a psychologist is not cheap. It will be great if your insurance can cover the costs. To make sure that they do or to know what kind of services they cover, check with your insurance provider before making a choice.
5. Consider Your Preferences
As you need to be comfortable with the professional you’ll be working with, your personal preferences will also play a huge role in choosing the psychologist you’ll see. Their gender is just one thing that you might have a preference for, so make sure to take note of such.
6. Give Them a Call
Most clinics will let you talk to the specialist over the phone so you can get a feel of what it’s like to talk to him or her. Take advantage of this offer as it can help you save time, money, and effort in finding the right expert to help you.