What Kind of Therapy Should I Look For?

Therapy Types

Eclectic	Marriage & Family
Psychodynamic	Group
Cognitive-Behavioral	Pharmacotherapy

An Eclectic Therapist chooses strategies from a variety of different therapeutic approaches. He or she makes intervention decisions based on the particulars of your situation.

Psychodynamic Therapy is generally geared toward providing help by working through unresolved conflicts from your past that may be affecting how you do things today. Most therapists will ask about some family and personal history, but psycho-dynamic therapists focus more of their work there.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy focuses on your thoughts and beliefs, with the general idea that much of your current distress is caused not by the way things are, but by your unrealistic, irrational, catastrophic, or inaccurate beliefs and perceptions about those things. The focus is not only on identifying and changing those thought patterns, but on making specific behavioral changes to reflect and reinforce the new thoughts and beliefs.

Marriage and Family Therapy is recommended for couples trying to improve their relationships or dealing with issues related to children or other extended family.

Group Therapy uses discussion, support, practicing new behaviors, and getting feedback from a variety of people to help with interpersonal problems, or, in the case of a theme group, with a specific problem. Groups can be very loosely structured or very highly structured, depending on the aims of the group and the orientation of the group facilitators.

Pharmacotherapy involves the use of medications either to help with emotional problems or to provide temporary symptom relief while other resources are being developed. Only psychiatrists and physicians can prescribe these medications.

In addition to these therapeutic approaches, keep in mind that many therapists have specialties, such as Women's issues, Men's issues, Adult Children of Alcoholics, Panic Disorder, Substance Abuse problems, Incest or Rape Survivor issues, and so on.

Just knowing that a therapist is Psychodynamic or Cognitive-Behavioral does not tell you whether he or she might have special expertise or interest in your problem area. You will need to ask the right questions.

See the Information Sources for Finding a Therapist page for sources of help for finding a therapist.

Which professional you choose to see may be influenced by your insurance coverage. It is very important to have a clear understanding of your benefits, including the following:

Key Questions:

• Who's Covered?
• Preferred Providers
• % of Charges
• Annual Limit
• Lifetime Limit

1. Whose services are covered (Psychologist, Psychiatrist, Clinical Social Worker, etc.)?

2. Do you have a list of preferred providers from which you must choose in order to be
reimbursed? Some companies pay a higher percentage for "Preferred Providers" and a
lesser percentage for therapists not on their list.

3. What percentage of the charges will be covered?

4. Is there an annual limit to the the total your insurance company will pay?

5. Is there a total lifetime limit the insurance company will pay?

Many people do not have any insurance coverage. If that is your situation, you may want to look for agencies or individual therapists that use a "sliding scale." This means that the fee charged is based on your income and ability to pay.

Under No Circumstances . . .

It is important for you to know that under no circumstances is it appropriate for a therapist to suggest sexual contact with a client. If you feel that your therapist is talking or acting in an inappropriately intimate, flirtatious, or sexual manner, you should consider discussing your situation with agency authorities or professional governing boards.

Information Sources for Finding a Therapist

Possible sources for names of potential therapists include the counselor you saw at UT, physicians, religious leaders, friends, family, the Yellow Pages, and local social service agencies like the following:

Why Community Referrals?

Many people who seek help at UT's Counseling and Mental Health Center are referred to therapists out in the community. This occurs for a variety of reasons. CMHC cannot be "all things to all people" and sometimes there are services it simply is not in a position to provide.

Because a lot of people feel intimidated or confused about finding a therapist on their own, this brochure provides some guidance and information to help you find a therapist who best fits your needs.