How To Find A Therapist

Written by Chantal Kahn, RSW, BSW

“Finding a therapist can sometimes feel really overwhelming and intimidating, especially if the idea of going to therapy is completely new for you!”

We all started out as being new to the therapy world…

Yup! Even your therapist had those first-time-therapy-client jitters. I’m speaking from experience! I want to offer you 5 different ways that can be helpful to navigate finding a therapist.

1. Check Your Coverage

If you have health coverage, take a look at your insurance plan to see if it includes any type of therapy or counselling. Some examples it may be categorized under are Psychotherapy, Social Work, Psychology, Counselling, and Marraige and Family Therapy.

If you don’t see these specific titles, your plan might have this service categorized under Extended Health. Every insurance company does things a little differently! By first checking the possibility of coverage, you can gain a better understanding of how much coverage you may have.

Furthermore, if your plan lists coverage for practitioners with specific credentials, it may be a sign you should be seeking a therapist with that specific training and education in order to be covered by your insurance provider. Confused? That’s okay! There are many different paths that mental health providers can take when it comes to education. Similarly to dentists and orthodontists… Both doctors work with teeth and oral health, but have different methods and purposes for their treatments, and thus are listed with different coverage in most insurance plans.

Need a little bit more help sorting out therapy credential terminology? Here are some examples!

• Some Psychotherapists have credentials titled as C.C.C. (Canadian Certified Counsellor).

• Social Workers are listed as BSW, which means Bachelors of Social Work, or MSW, which means Masters of Social Work.

• Marriage and Family Therapists are listed as MMFT.

Sometimes insurance websites can be tricky to navigate! If you are having trouble understanding your plan, I suggest calling your provider to help you navigate through specific questions. They are available to help you!

2. Try Psychology Today

Once you have looked into whether you have coverage, and what credentials (AKA a therapist’s degree or education) is required in order for your health insrance plan to cover the cost of your sessions - a tool that has been really helpful to me in the past is using Psychology Today. Psychology Today is a digital resource where you can find many different therapists in the area that you are in. Kind of like online shopping, but for a therapist! You can use filters to help you narrow down your search based on qualifications you’re looking for!

If you have a few different people who may feel like the right fit, I always suggest that you email them to see if they offer free over-the-phone consultations before you schedule your first session, this can help determine if they could be the right fit for you.

Want to narrow it down even more? If you don’t want to schedule a consultation, you can reach out to a few different therapists via email to see if they are taking on new clients.

3. Ask People in Your Life for Suggestions

If you are comfortable, asking your friends, family members or coworkers about their experience with their therapist can be a great place to start the conversation. If your trusted people don’t have information to pass along to you, try asking them if they could get recommendations from their friends, family members, or coworkers!

4. Follow Therapists on Social Media

Finding therapists who offer services (in your area) can also help determine if you can see yourself doing therapy with them. Sometimes by seeing their content and enjoying what they post can help you understand if they may be a good fit or if they can provide you with what you are needing. Connecting with people on social media is often a great first start to building up your trust for that person. You can hear the way they talk through their written or video content. 

Try searching on Instagram or other social media platforms with hashtags such as #TherapyInWinnipeg #WinnipegTherapist #WinnipegCounsellor #WinnipegPsychotherapy #ManitobaTherapy.

5. Ask Your Family Doctor

Going through your family doctor can be beneficial as well! They may be able to refer you to a therapist, a psychologist, or a psychiatrist and help you determine which mental health service provider may be a better fit for you!

All in all, the most important factor about finding a therapist is finding one that is the right fit for you. Remember! You are the one investing into this for yourself, so you want to make sure you are getting the most out of it. This may take a few tries before you find someone who is right for you, and although it may be exhausting and feel like a lot, it is well worth it.

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