How to Find the Right Help: Choosing a Mental Health Professional

Getting started with resources to help improve your mental well-being, or the overall well-being of your family, can be difficult at best. Finding a mental health professional that you feel comfortable with is like shopping for a good pair of shoes – they need to be a good fit! It’s a good idea to contact two or three different professionals by phone to decide if their approach to treatment, their personality and their availability will meet your needs.

Here are some important questions to ask yourself:

1. How do I feel about the professional after talking with him/her on the phone? Do you feel at ease…or agitated? Did you feel heard? Did you feel understood?
2. Am I committed? Admitting you need help is one thing…an important thing…however, you must be ready to commit yourself to attending appointments and following through with recommended assignments. Changing thoughts and behaviours is hard work and in doing so you need to be disciplined in the work that you and your mental health worker agrees upon.
3. What are my expectations? Talking with a mental health professional will not change what has happened in the past. Nor will it change the behavior of other people in your life. The work you do with a mental health professional will help you (and your family if they are involved in the process) to understand how other people and past events affect you and guide you to make positive changes to prevent the history of your life to repeat itself.

Questions to ask a mental health professional before beginning treatment:

1. Is your practice guided by a regulated profession? This question ensures that the worker has met the necessary educational requirements in their field and maintains competency.
2. What is your level/years of experience. You want someone who is familiar working with situations similar to the ones you are experiencing.
3. What are your fees? Private therapists usually charge between $100 and $170 per session.
4. What is your cancellation policy?
5. What is your availability?

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If you or your family are frustrated and lacking support in managing your child’s behaviours associated with ADHD, anxiety or social impairments, contact Coach Apparent Ltd today and start your journey toward connecting your family through change.