How do you find therapy in Houston?
Whether dealing with a mental illness or simply looking to analyze and assess your life transition, the right mental health professional is out there waiting for you
Maybe you’ve had a lot of murky days when you feel like life isn’t worth living, or maybe you’re a young adult in Houston befuddled if you’re doing the right thing or transitioning to adulthood the right way.
Whatever it is, you don’t have to be going through an extreme hardship to seek mental health services. Therapy can also be about bettering yourself.
“Most think, ‘I have to be crazy to go to therapy or my life is in shambles,’ or ‘I’m strong enough, I don’t need that,’ or (therapy) just plain, flat-out doesn’t work,” addiction therapist Xavier Barron said.
But the jargon used in describing the field of mental health throws many people off. (What’s cognitive behavioral therapy or dialectical behavioral therapy? How does it make a difference to see a licensed marriage family therapist or a licensed clinical social worker?)
It doesn’t have to be that way. There are some great Houston-centric tips to navigate a health care maze as crazy as the Loop 610-Southwest Freeway interchange.
“We are the most overworked city in America outside of Washington, D.C., we are perpetually stuck in traffic, and we don’t have to shoulder that by ourselves,” said Ryan Schwartz, the founder of Mental Health Match.
Psychologist vs. psychiatrist
Don’t get lost in the weeds about which is for what. Here’s a very simple breakdown of what each professional does.
Psychologist: A practicing medical professional who specializes in helping people with mental health. That can mean planning out life and careers, relieving stress, navigating a mental illness such as anxiety or understanding long-term trauma, etc.
Psychiatrist: A practicing medical professional who has a license to provide medication to manage mental illnesses. Psychiatrists usually run diagnostics to narrow down what you’re seeking therapy for and can treat highly complex mental health cases, said Jon Stevens, chief of outpatient services at the Menninger Clinic.
The latter frequently works in tandem with psychologists, social workers or psychotherapists (the difference is often just the degree) to provide medication in addition to regular therapy sessions. Some insurers require referrals from primary care physicians to get access to a psychologist or psychiatrist in your network, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
Finding help
Psychologist, psychotherapist or psychiatrist, using review websites and bios is one way to identify the mental health professional who matches your needs.
Sites including Yelp and Zocdoc are good directories for finding therapists, their office hours and contact information. Reviews can provide some insight into how a therapist thinks, but they may lack crucial information for prospective patients such as cost and communication style. Psychology-Today provides a list of therapists in Houston, but with providers frequently dropping or adding insurance plans or moving to new offices, the information is not always accurate.
The downside with those online listings, experts said, is that reviews tend to skew toward negative experiences, and what works for one person might not work for another.
Mental Health Match, a website pairing patients with providers in the Houston metropolitan area, is a good resource for finding the right provider.
Don’t worry about the jargon or the budget, Schwartz said. The website features a quiz that will account for a price range and languages spoken, among other things, such as the types of therapy you want to engage with.
“You can see if this therapist is someone you’re going to connect with, be comfortable with,” Schwartz said.
Telehealth services such as Talkspace and BetterHelp are available for electronic interactions (which is great if you live in a rural area), but making a face-to-face visit with your therapist can really build connections and trust, medical experts said.
What to look for
The first therapist might not always be the best fit. It’s important to interview a therapist as much as you want him or her to coax answers out of you, said Elizabeth Wilkins, a marriage and family therapist who specializes in anxiety and trauma.
“I want them to ask me every question under the sun before they get into something and don’t fully realize what the investment of time, energy and money are,” she said.
Where therapists did their licensing doesn’t matter as much as the techniques they use and if they’re able to establish comfort with their patients.
Consider these starter questions over the phone or at a first session:
• How frequently do you hold sessions?
• Are you certified to practice (insert therapy technique here)?
• What is a typical session like?
• Do you take my insurance? A good therapist should make you feel comfortable, experts said. Look for a professional who can match your sense of humor, communication style and schedule.
And don’t underestimate the importance of picking a provider near your workplace or home. Menninger Clinic specialists say it’s important to find a therapist who can accommodate your schedule, especially if it means you’re dragging along on Interstate 10 across town to pick up the kids or get home at rush hour.
If you find yourself frequently running 20 minutes late to an appointment thanks to traffic or unable to fit appointments in on your Google Calendar, it might be a sign to seek someone who can provide better times and dates — even if it means giving up on the therapist of your dreams.
The money question
Many people see therapy as a luxury. But it’s like a vaccine or preventive medicine for the mind.
“Investing in therapy is an investment in yourself,” Barron said.
It might take some legwork to find a therapist who not only fits your needs but your budget. Prospective patients can call clinics and ask if there are sliding-scale fees tied to income, or if they take on cases for free. The Mental Health Match site features a slider on its introductory questionnaire asking for prices.
People with health insurance should ask providers how much an appointment would cost without insurance — the cash fee may sometimes be cheaper than a co-pay.
The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD offers treatment for both outpatient and psychiatric emergency services, but there may be a wait list for some services.
Local nonprofits and charities such as ones with the Alliance for Christian Assistance Ministries may also be able to help people apply for federal health care programs.
If you’re seeking a mental health specialist for children, schools may offer guidance counselors and individualized student-safety plans to fit a kid’s needs.
If you feel suicidal or are having suicidal thoughts, call the 24-hour National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255.