Finding a Therapist to Support Your Recovery
Selecting a therapist can be
one of the most important decisions you will make during your recovery
journey. A therapist can lead you through discovering and healing the
deepest pain you have experienced. This is a delicate, yet powerful process.
Selecting a companion for this healing process is a significant decision,
one that is worthy of thoughtful and prayerful consideration. It is
important that the therapist we chose understand and, hopefully, be a step
or two ahead of us on his or her own recovery journey.
Many people assume that all therapists have an understanding of the Twelve
Steps or of the recovery process. While many do, it's important to recognize
that the mental health field includes many diverse methods and theories used
to approach the same problems. Not all therapists adhere to the principles
which we have come to realize are important in our own recovery. It is
important to find a therapist with whom you feel spiritually compatible and
who has a working knowledge of the issues which are central to our journey.
The following may help you think through what you are looking for in a
therapist:
How do I begin?
If possible, get
recommendations from a variety of sources. You may develop a list of
possibilities by looking through this directory, by asking friends for names
of therapists they have found to be helpful, or by contacting churches or
recovery programs for referrals. It's a good idea to interview several
therapists - most will be happy to do a short phone interview with you at no
charge.
Is it important that a
therapist be licensed?
When your first contact a
therapist, ask about licensure. The appropriate state license or
certification is a basic necessity. A licensed therapist has the education
and training that meet established requirement and he or she has
successfully passed an examination in their field. Some therapists are
considered to be "interns" which means he or she is in the process
of gaining a clinical license. Interns are able to legally provide therapy
under supervision of a licensed therapist.
How do I know if a therapist
has experience working with my particular issues?
When you make your first phone
contact, describe your specific issues and ask if he or she has had
experience with this area in the past. Competent therapists realize that you
are hiring them to do an important job, and will welcome your inquiries.
How do I chose one therapist
over another?
During an initial session, you
will have an opportunity to ask questions in more detail. Feel free to ask
anything that you feel is necessary for you to feel comfortable with the
therapist. Incomplete or confusing answers may indicate that this therapist
will not be helpful to you. Remember you don't need a perfect therapist - a
consistently adequate one will be able to support you on the journey.
How do I know I can trust
this person?
Trust is a difficult issue for
most of us in recovery. You have the right to feel reasonably comfortable
with the therapist you choose. However, a sense of anxiety or discomfort is
common when starting any new relationship. Meeting with someone else to talk
about painful issues will not be easy. Only you can decide if your sense of
discomfort is because of the challenge of therapy or because you are sensing
that this particular therapist is not appropriate for you.
Is therapy really worth it?
The point is, you are worth
it. Your recovery journey will not be easy. It may be costly both
financially and emotionally, but your healing is worth a lot! Therapy can be
an invaluable ingredient in the recovery process.
How do I know if it's
working?
Most of us have times when we
struggle with this. Because recovery involves change and change is
disorienting - it can be confusing. You can't tell it's working just by
asking "Is the pain going away?" because you may experience the
process itself as painful - after all you may be looking at stuff you've
been avoiding for a long time. So, it's not very helpful to ask: "Do I
feel better?" It is, however, fair to ask "Does the pain feel more
organized, more structured?" or "Do I have 'handles' on the
problems that I didn't have before" or "Do I feel less
stuck?" You can talk with your therapist about these questions. You can
talk to friends about these questions. You can get second opinions. You are
responsible for your recovery - so be a wise consumer, make sure you get the
help you need.
The Mental Health Professional Network of the NACR is a network of
therapists and counselors who are in recovery. It is not a traditional
'professional association' but rather a group of co-strugglers on the
journey. We hope that this directory of Network members will assist you in
finding a therapist that will provide you with the support and guidance you
need. Although they have a different purposes than the NACR's Mental Health
Professional Network, the following professional associations of Christian
therapists may also be useful sources of referrals:
American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC)
2421 W. Pratt #1398
Chicago, IL 60645 800-526-8673
American Association of Pastoral Counselors (AAPC)
9504 A Lee Highway
Fairfax, VA 22031-2303 703-385-6967
Association of Christian Therapists (ACT)
14440 Cherry Lane Court #215
Laurel, MD 10707 301-470-ACTS
Christian Association for Psychological Studies (CAPS)
P.O. Box 310400 New Braunfels, TX 78131-0400 210-629-2277
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