The most important step of any addiction is admitting that you have a problem and seeking help for it. With so many different options available however, how do you even know where to begin looking for an addiction therapist?
If you need help for yourself or a loved one, below is some great advice about finding the right therapy for addiction treatment.
Recommendations
As with anything, recommendations are a great way of finding reputable professionals. Ask your friends, family, colleagues and even your doctor if they have proven experience with an addiction therapist.
If you want to keep the fact that you’re looking for a therapist private, the Internet can also prove to be very useful. Although many therapists will not have client testimonials on their websites for privacy reasons, you will be able to see their qualifications and experience which are both very good indicators of a good therapist.
Check their credentials
Naturally, you want to make sure that the person you’re working with knows what they’re doing. A lot of qualifications can be acquired by doing a basic online course these days so check their credentials and ensure they have the associated degree of the professional discipline you’re looking for. There are many different types of addiction and there’s no point seeing a therapist who normally specializes in gambling addictions for example when you’re trying to overcome a drug addiction.
It’s also very important to make sure that the professional you go to is licensed and that their license is up to date.
Do you get a good feeling about them?
As well as being competent and credible, you want to ensure that the therapist you’re seeing is a good match for you.
Gut instinct counts for a lot so ask yourself if the partnership feels right. Do they put you at ease? Have they worked with addicts before? Are you confident they can help you overcome your addiction? This is someone you are going to confide in which can be very difficult to do so you want to feel comfortable around them.
Meet them face-to-face before making a long-term commitment
A good therapist understands that there needs to be a connection between themselves and their patients and they will want to get this right just as much as you do. They will therefore be more than happy to offer you an initial consultation to establish if and how they can help you. It’s highly recommended that you do this before making any long-term commitments.
Price
Price alone shouldn’t be the deciding factor who you use because if someone is really cheap there’s normally a reason for this. Maybe they’re inexperienced or haven’t long been qualified. On the other hand, it’s important not to go too over the top because addicts will need ongoing therapy so you need to be able to afford it in the long-run.
Location
If you find a great therapist but they’re over two hours away, you may find that after a couple sessions it becomes too much hassle and you stop going. You want minimal disruptions in your recovery and you want it to be as easy as possible. When you’re having a bad day for example, you’re more likely to give up and not attend a session if it’s a huge effort to get there. If it’s just down the road however it’s much easier and you’re more likely to go. It also means that you’re more likely to get impromptu sessions in if you need to speak to someone urgently.
If you would like more information about addiction counseling, please feel free to contact us and we will be more than happy to help.
