Since the pandemic there has been an increase of individuals seeking therapy. There are a lot of therapists in the Orange County, CA area, but how do you find the best one for you? When is the best time to start? There is a sense of anxiety and depression with the pandemic, racial injustices, and feelings of disconnect with others. Taking care of your mental health is important. Starting therapy is a huge step. It’s completely normal to feel a bit nervous. After you research therapists in the Orange County, CA area, the next step is the first phone call to a potential new therapist, which can be intimidating. If you are interested in learning more about finding a therapist, counselor check out my blog about how to find one. Here are a few typical frequently asked questions that have been asked. These are ideas to help you start the process.

There are different types of therapy. Most therapists provide talk therapy. There are also somatic therapies such as EMDR which has been useful for PTSD. There are a lot of different therapeutic interventions, however you don’t need to know them all. Listen to the therapist and ask yourself, “Do I see myself using this type of therapy?” Ask more questions if you want to learn more about their approach.

Most therapy sessions are weekly, however some clients would like to meet every other week or once a month. Some therapists may meet 2-3 times a week. Ask yourself how often would you like to go to therapy? The therapist may explain their typical schedules for their clients. Also if you feel like you might need therapy more than once a week or less often, don’t hesitate to ask about it.

If you would like to use your health insurance, first talk to your insurance company about your coverage. Does it cover in-network or out-of-network providers. How much is covered? Not all therapists will be paneled to your health insurance or only accept private pay.

Every therapist’s fee is different. Some decide to self pay and not use their insurance because they want to work with a specific therapist with a certain specialty or trusted referral sources. Also, with self pay you wouldn’t have to report a diagnosis to the insurance company. Some people prefer to keep it confidential.

With the pandemic some therapists are only providing telehealth by telephone or video. Tele-health has its benefits, for example, it’s convenient because you do not have to drive to an office. If you do not want to risk seeing someone in person because of COVID 19, telehealth is a safe way to have therapy. However, sitting inside the same room is a different type of feeling and some clients want in-person sessions. If that is important to you, find a therapist that meets in person.

Sometimes clients have more questions and all of them are good questions. As an anxiety therapist, I understand how big of a step it is to start therapy. It’s completely OK to feel weird and awkward if you never went to therapy before. Ask them all the questions you have. We get it and we want to help. Also, a big component of therapy is communicating so it’s important to speak up and ask questions if you have concerns.

I hope this helps you find the right therapist in Orange County, Tustin, CA. If you are still feeling stuck and have more questions, feel free to call Jane Pearl Lee Counseling at (949) 771-4461for a free 15 minute phone consultation. I’d be happy to hear what is happening in your life and help direct you to find the right person. If you are looking for help with anxiety you can read more about how I can help on my website. My specialties include career driven professionals, caregiver stress, Asian American psychology, anxious teens, and social anxiety.