4 minute read
Solve for Stuck
Solve for Stuck
10 THINGS TO ASK BEFORE HIRING A THERAPIST
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By Britt Frank
Disclaimer: Accessing mental health professionals—let alone trauma-trained specialists—isn’t always easy, and for many people, it isn’t even possible. If you are court-ordered to see a therapist, or if you are hospitalized and assigned an inpatient therapist, your choices are limited. This article assumes that you can choose between multiple providers. Whether your provider is trauma trained or not, never stop taking your medication without speaking to your doctor.
The therapy intake process is stressful. You walk into a total stranger’s office and are expected to share your most painful, vulnerable, intimate truths. But the reality
is that the therapist in the room works for you, and the intake process should be about your comfort with them, not about their dissecting of every detail about you. To be an advocate for yourself in the therapy room, it’s crucial before signing on to work with a therapist that you know this shocking fact:
Most mental health professionals (including psychotherapists) are not required to be trauma-trained, not required to take any classes about the brain, and are not required to disclose the limitations of their training.
Because therapists do not have to disclose their training (and because many don’t know to ask), people can end up with a mental illness diagnosis that does not take environment or trauma into account. If you are in a position where you are fortunate enough to have options, here are 10 questions you can ask before signing on with a therapist:
1. Do you see a therapist?
The answer to this question should be yes. Not every therapist needs to be in weekly therapy, but every practicing therapist should have someone with whom they also work. A therapist without a therapist is a red flag.
2. What populations are you less comfortable working with?
Not every therapist needs to (or should) be able to work with every single type of person. The difference between a safe therapist and an unsafe therapist is their awareness of limitations. It is a red flag if they say to you, “Oh, I help everyone…”
3. What is your policy if I ever feel uncomfortable/upset/unsafe with something you say during a session?
The burden of creating safety is on the therapist—not on you. Before beginning your work with someone, it is useful to know what the procedure is should a relationship rupture occur. Because all therapists are human and no humans are perfect, miscommunications happen. A competent therapist should have some type of policy so you don’t end up smacked in the face with no idea what to do next.
4. What specialized training in trauma do you have?
Not every therapist needs to have specialized training in trauma. But, if your therapist has no training in trauma, then I would take their “DSM diagnosis” and seek out a second opinion before you accept that diagnosis. Often, trauma can create symptoms that mimic other mental health conditions.
5. How will I know if therapy is working?
The answer should be: That is totally up to you to decide.
6. How will I know when it is time to stop therapy?
The answer should be: Whenever you want.
7. What is your policy on me working with another therapist?
The answer should be: Do what’s best for you.
8. What are your self-care practices?
A safe and competent therapist will be more than happy to disclose their self-care.
9. What are your boundaries around social media?
10. What type of continuing education classes do you enjoy the most?
Bottom line?
The DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) is a giant book with hundreds of lists of symptoms. Mental health providers check your symptoms against the lists and then assign a mental health diagnosis. Are mental health diagnoses necessary? Yes. They allow people access to insurance coverage that they otherwise wouldn’t receive.
But.
The DSM does not factor trauma, social inequality, oppression, systemic racism, or access to resources into the diagnosis process. People often end up with diagnostic labels that in no way reflect the reality of their experience. A quote often attributed to Freud (actual author unknown) says it best:
“Before you diagnose yourself with depression or low self-esteem, first make sure you are not, in fact, just surrounded by assholes.”
Follow along with Psychotherapist and author of The Science of Stuck Britt Frank [MSW, LSCSW, SEP] on Instagram (@ brittfrank). To ask a question about recovering from the last few years, or anything else regarding mental health, reach out to britt@thepitchkc.com
Disclaimer: This article is for entertainment purposes only and is not to be taken as official mental health treatment or professional medical advice.
