How To: Finding the Right Therapist for YOU in Central New York

Have you decided you want to start therapy? Maybe you’ve begun the search for a therapist, or maybe reading this is your first step. Finding a therapist who will be a good fit for you is important, so read on for what you need to know - I’m going to do my best to give y’all the short version, because there’s a lot of information out there. 

Who is considered a mental health therapist?

Something you may notice as you begin your search are the various credentials that fall under the title of “therapist”. In New York State you will find Licensed Clinical Psychologists, Licensed Mental Health Counselors, Licensed Clinical Social Workers, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists, Psychiatrists (MD or DO) and more. The differences between these licensures are the educational training they have, the client contact hour and other requirements for program completion as well as scope of practice and licensure requirements according to the state. Most of these licensed therapists treat a variety of issues, with varying degrees of training and experience in certain areas. 

If you’re looking for someone who can prescribe medication, then you’ll want to seek out a Psychiatrist, or at the very least be seeing a therapist who can work closely with your prescriber. Psychiatrists will sometimes do psychotherapy alongside medication management, but not always. Clinical Psychologists may have some knowledge about medications, but they do not typically prescribe and will focus more on psychotherapy and mental health management. If you’re seeking something like couples or family therapy, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist may be a good fit with the systems training they receive, although therapists under other licensures may have some experience and/or additional training to be just as capable of treating couples and families. Every licensure has their scope and strengths when it comes to who they treat, and many continue to build on those strengths through continued education, certifications and specialties. 

What kind of therapy are you looking for?

As you’re looking around, note not only the licensure the therapist has, but who do they treat? What is it that YOU want treated? Are you looking for supportive or talk therapy where you want to process through where you’re at in life right now? Do you want a therapist that has any specialties relevant to you? Do they utilize modalities or evidence-based treatments meant for the symptoms or issues you want to address? 

Consider the above questions when looking for a therapist. You may want to ask yourself if it will be important for you to find a therapist who specializes in your specific concern. If you’re wanting to address an Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) diagnosis for example, you’ll want to seek out a therapist who has some experience in this area, or utilized modes of therapy such as Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). If you’re wanting to address childhood trauma or PTSD, you’ll want to work with a therapist who specializes in trauma work. If you’re experiencing chronic pain or chronic illness, and experience anxiety or depression alongside this, you may want to seek out a therapist who has some experience in this area, or utilizes something like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Chronic Pain (CBT-CP) or Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT). Some therapists may use an integrative approach, utilizing these evidence-based treatments while also integrating other methods based on what works for a particular person or process. 

If you’re unsure what it is you’re looking for, I would encourage you to start by talking with a therapist, whether it be a consultation call or an intake session. Here you can talk through what it is you’re looking for and get a better idea about whether this therapist will work for you, or if you may need a referral elsewhere. It can be a process to find the right person sometimes, but I encourage you to keep looking if your first try isn’t the right fit. 

Where to look for a therapist:

Once you have an idea about what you’re looking for in a therapist, then the question becomes where do I look? 

Google: Many find themselves starting here. You may type into Google something like “anxiety therapist near me” or “online couples therapist in New York State”. Google and other search engines can be a good place to start exploring. 

Psychology Today: Psychology Today is an online platform that has a directory of therapists. Many therapists have profiles here that share who they serve, what they do and any specialties they might have. You can enter your city or zip code in the search bar and will be presented with many therapists to choose from. There is also a filters option, so you can filter the search for what resonates with you. For example you may search Syracuse, NY and enter filters like Anxiety, LGBTQ+, Grief, Female, Online, Adults, and so on. 

Word of Mouth: Maybe your preference is to find a therapist that you hear through the grapevine does great work. You may talk with your doctor or other providers, asking if there is anyone they would recommend. There could be someone in your community you trust to share with you a name or two of therapists they might recommend.  

Insurance: If finding someone who takes your insurance is important to you, you can call your insurance company and they should be able to share some names with you. Some insurance companies have a directory online that lists therapists who take your insurance. Keep in mind, sometimes these lists are not accurately updated. 

There are many places to explore. My suggestion is to start small. Don’t expect yourself to comb through every single directory there is looking through hundreds of therapists trying to find the right one. Start with a few that stand out to you. Reach out to them via phone call or email, or by setting up consultation calls. 

If you’re interested in a consultation call for therapy with myself, Catherine Metz, LMFT, reach out to schedule a consultation call HERE, or fill out the contact form HERE.

What I do:

As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, I am trained in a systems and biopsychosocial approach to care. I utilize evidence-based treatments while integrating other modes of therapy such as IFS and Narrative Therapy to treat the whole person or persons. I work with clients on issues such as anxiety, relationship issues, generational trauma and life transitions. I offer both in-person and online therapy in NY. I have additional training in perinatal mental health, with a certification from Postpartum Support International. I participated in a Medical Family Therapy Intensive. I have completed training on Polyvagal Theory, which addresses the role of the nervous system, as well as training on integrating Internal Family Systems across clinical applications. I work with adults, both individuals and couples, from various cultures, experiences and backgrounds.