What type of therapist is right for me?

Let’s first dive into the process of finding a therapist who is qualified. There are many types of therapists, all with different specialties, degrees, and levels of licensure. I believe learning how to navigate this is a pretty important part of your search. You want to make sure you can trust your therapist, and this starts with understanding their qualifications. *One disclaimer: I am licensed in the state of Illinois. Licensure and clinician titles vary state to state, so this will NOT apply everywhere. However, I still believe this information could be helpful for anyone looking to get started with their research.

To begin, I’ll debunk some of the lingo. To simplify things a bit, the words “counselor,” “psychotherapist,” and “therapist” are relatively interchangeable. Many of these “clinicians” provide talk therapy, which is a traditional method that we might associate therapy with. You can use talk therapy to process stressors going on in your life, identify how you can improve your mental health, and work towards achieving specific goals. Talk therapy can also be useful for couples, children, adolescents, and families.

Masters-Level Clinicians

The most common masters-level clinicians are Licensed Clinical Professional Counselors (LCPC), Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC), Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW), and Licensed Social Workers (LSW). Bear with me, I’ll explain those in a moment… If you’re interested in working with a masters-level clinician, make sure to confirm that they are licensed and have completed a masters degree in counseling, social work, or a related field. If a clinician is advertising themselves as a therapist or counselor and does NOT have a masters degree, stay away! They are misrepresenting their credentials. If they don’t have a license, be cautious and inquire about their experience. However, this clinician could also be working towards getting their license, which is a process that requires lots of waiting and paperwork. Some clinicians are called “interns,” which means they are still completing their masters degree. Don’t be quick to turn away from these clinicians, though. All of the best therapists start out as interns, and the research actually shows that beginning therapists provide more satisfactory therapy services that their senior counterparts. Counseling interns are also always supervised by fully licensed clinicians.

The two masters degrees that therapists usually have attained are either in counseling or social work. The names of these degrees vary (Masters of Science, Masters of Education, Educational Specialist, etc.) but as long as it’s a masters, you’re good to go. LCSWs and LSWs have both obtained masters degrees in social work, while LCPCs and LPCs have masters degrees in counseling. If someone is delivering talk therapy, there’s not much difference between these degrees that would affect the clinical work. However, there is a difference in experience level that is worth noting. Both LCPCs and LCSWs have advanced licensure, which means that the clinician has at least 2 full years of post-graduate experience and has taken the NCMHCE examination, a difficult exam that tests diagnostic and clinical abilities. Both LPCs and LCPCs are licensed, but the LCPC has advanced licensure that allows them to practice independently and without supervision. 

There are two more quick acronyms to know. Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFT) and Marriage and Family Therapists (MFT) are clinicians that specialize in, you guessed it, couples and family counseling. These clinicians often have more extensive training in this area than counselors and social workers, and have all completed a masters degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. One last set of letters is the National Certified Counselor, or NCC. This is a national certification that a clinician can apply for if they are an LPC. This is a professional network for clinicians who achieve that first level of licensure.

Psychologists and Psychiatrists

Another type of clinician that delivers talk therapy is called a “psychologist.” These are doctoral-level clinicians. A psychologist has a PhD or PsyD, both of which are doctoral degrees. This means they have completed 4-7 years of study post-undergrad and usually in a specific area. They have the ability to deliver psychological assessments, which can assess diagnosable mental disorders, personality, and neuropsychological processes. If you are wanting to assess yourself for a specific mental health diagnosis or are interested in learning more about your specific mental characteristics, this is the place to go. Given their extensive training, many psychologists also specialize more thoroughly within traditional talk therapy. These clinicians tend to be experts at what they specialize in!

Lastly, another type of clinician is the “psychiatrist.” This clinician is also doctoral-level, however, they have a Medical Doctorate (MD) or Doctorate of Osteopathic Medicine (DO). There are also psychiatric nurse practitioners. These clinicians are the ONLY ones of those described who can prescribe medication. Some psychiatrists offer talk therapy, but typically these conversations are less frequent and centered around medication management.

How do I find a good couples counselor?

Many couples counselors have degrees in Marriage and Family Therapy, since that was their specialty in their masters program. However, some counselors and social workers also specialize in couples counseling and have extensive experience in that area. The most important thing to assess with a couples counselor is how much active experience they have working with couples, and if they have any specific training or certification. It is also important that their theory behind relationships matches what you are looking for in couples counseling. If you have a specific goal to address in couples counseling such as processing infidelity, high conflict, or managing domestic violence, be sure to find a counselor who specializes in this area, since they are complex issues that require extensive training.

What else do you look for in a therapist?

It is important to look at the biography of your potential therapist to see who they serve, what their specialties are, and their approach to therapy. What the research consistently shows is that the quality of the relationship between a therapist and a client is the main factor in success and satisfaction in therapy. If you are getting good vibes from a therapist’s biography or introductory video, that’s a good sign. We call this “therapeutic fit,” and it’s vital to you feeling comfortable with your therapist.

It is also important to confirm that your schedule aligns with the therapist’s. Some therapists offer only daytime sessions, while others offer evening or weekend sessions. Make sure to ask about your therapist’s availability for sessions if your schedule is not flexible.

How do I navigate the financial part of therapy?

Make sure you know how you’re wanting to pay for sessions before looking for therapists. This is the least exciting part of the process, but nevertheless important to consider for your financial wellness. The last thing you want to have happen is to get excited about seeing a therapist, just to find out that they don’t accept your insurance. If you have health insurance, do some research into your benefits. Give your insurance company a call and ask them to explain your mental health coverage to you. What is your deductible? Your estimated out of pocket cost for sessions? Are you able to receive reimbursement for therapists who are out of network?

You might be interested in paying out of pocket instead. Some professions (i.e. members of the military, pilots, etc.) may have consequences for having a mental health diagnosis on your medical record. If you are using insurance to pay for sessions, your therapist will need to include a diagnosis on your record so that you receive coverage for sessions. If you do not want a diagnosis noted on your record, paying for sessions out of pocket might be a good fit for you.

Affordable Counseling Services

You might be looking for sliding scale counseling services if you are experiencing financial stress. “Sliding scale” means that the session fee is determined based on your income and other financial factors. You may be required to provide proof of income to assess an appropriate fee, but other times the sliding scale fee is a set rate (i.e. a certain percentage of your weekly take home pay). Some fully licensed clinicians reserve spots on their caseloads to offer sliding scale services. Agencies and group practices may also have counseling interns on staff who offer these more affordable counseling services. Depending on your location, services can be as low as $5-10 per session. In the city of Chicago, sliding scale services tend to be between $50-100 per session.

I wish information about sliding scale counseling services was more readily available to those who need it. I have some trusted referrals in the Chicago area that offer sliding scale services, and I am happy to provide this information to you if you are having trouble finding affordable counseling services. Please feel free to reach out to me for more information.