Tips to Finding the Perfect Therapist

When you have an anxiety disorder, it is important to seek help in order to overcome your anxiety. Anxiety disorders include obsessive-compulsive disorder, phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder, panic disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder, among other things. Millions of people suffer from anxiety disorders, and the only way to overcome these things is to find help from a professional. While your medical doctor may be able to treat you, another important person in your life should be your therapist. Make sure you find the best therapist possible to treat your condition by using the following tips.

First, look for a therapist that is recommended by others. The best form of advertising is word of mouth, because you can be sure that the therapist is skilled and has helped others in the past. You can ask your doctor for recommendations, but others suffering from anxiety disorders will probably be able to tell you even more about therapists in the area. You can contact other patients with anxiety disorder by going to support groups, which are often offered at your local community center or hospital.

Another great tip for finding the perfect therapist is to look for someone specifically advocating the kind of treatment that interests you. For example, if you want to talk about your problems and try to understand your thought process and reasoning behind your anxiety, a therapist specializing in cognitive therapy will probably work best for you. If you want to overcome a specific phobia, a therapist interested in desensitization may work best instead. There are a number of different kinds of treatments, and if you have a specific kind in mind, be sure to find a therapist advocating that kind of treatment.

Lastly, when looking for a therapist consider more than personality—consider convenience. Although you of course want a therapist who is easy to talk to and friendly, you should also take into consideration how many patients he or she sees, because this will indicate the amount to time available to be spent on you. Also look at the distance from his or her office to your home and consider a therapist who is willing to meet your specific needs.

Every therapist is different, so someone who works well for another patient may not be the best choice for you. If you are unhappy with your therapist for any reason, remember that you can leave to look for a new therapist at any time. For the most stable treatment, find a therapist you like and stay with that therapist until you feel as though you have overcome your disorder. 

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