In Search of Therapy

If you tell me that you have never felt lost before, I wouldn't believe you. It's part of the human experience to get to figure ourselves out. We all may experience this "lost" feeling for different reasons, but more than anything, I want to help remove the stigma from seeking mental health supports. There is absolutely no shame in seeing a therapist, whatever the reason may be. We all feel lost sometimes, and it's okay to need some help.

So you've decided you want to see a therapist. How do you find one? What's the difference between a therapist, counselor, psychiatrist? Look no further, the answers are here!

A therapist and a counselor are essentially the same thing, just called by a different name. What you do find a difference in, is licensure. Let's go through these with some simple explanations:

-Certified Social Worker (CSW)- This licensure requires a Master's degree in social work and the person is in the process of getting their 4,000 hours of clinical experience post graduation. A CSW can provide therapy for any range of issues.

-Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)- This licensure requires a Master's degree in social work and two years or 4,000 hours of clinical experience post graduate school. An LCSW can provide therapy for any range of issues.

-Associate Certified Mental Health Counselor (ACMHC)- This licensure requires a Master's degree in a mental health counseling program and the person is in the process of getting their 4,000 hours/2 years of clinical experience post graduation. An ACMHC can provide therapy for any range of issues.

-Certified Mental Health Counselor (CMHC)- This licensure requires a Master's degree in mental health counseling. Typically a 2-3 year program and 4,000 hours/2 years of clinical work post graduation. A CMHC can provide therapy for any range of issues.

-Psychologist (School or Clinical)- a Psychologist has a doctorate degree in psychology and can have gone to school to be a school psychologist or a clinical psychologist. A clinical psychologist will do therapy, but can not prescribe medication. Most often, a psychologist is associated with completing psychological testing/evaluations.

-Psychiatrist- a psychiatrist is someone with a doctorate and has gone to medical school. They can do therapy if they want, but are more often associated with prescribing medication.

So how do you find one of these people to help? A great place to start is Psychology Today. You can search by location, gender of the therapist, issues you need help in etc. Another option is to ask for a referral from your doctor or suggestions from friends or family who have had good luck with their therapist. You can also call your insurance provider for a list of therapists that are covered in your network.

The most important thing in finding a good therapist is the relationship you have with them. If you meet a potential therapist and get a weird vibe or really can't seem to connect with them, just be honest about it and ask for a referral to someone else! It's absolutely okay to switch around therapists until you find the right fit. People do this all the time with doctors and dentists, so why not be picky about the person you're going to share your deepest thoughts with?

A few other things to keep in mind when scoping out therapists:

1. Ask about and understand their treatment philosophy. This tells a lot about the therapist and you can get a good idea if they will fit your personality and needs before you even begin therapy sessions. If their philosophy is psychodynamic and focused on the subconscious but you want more solution-focused treatment, you might not be the best fit.

2. Ask what their specialty or area of interest is. If you are seeking therapy for trauma and you find a therapist who's passion and interest is working with Autism, you probably aren't going to get the kind of help you are looking for. Make sure your needs match with what the therapist can confidently provide.

3. Lastly, please understand that therapy is NOT a quick fix to solving your problems. You get out of it what you put into it. If you aren't ready to delve into deep and vulnerable things, your progress will be slow and minimal. The therapist can only help if you're willing to be helped.

That being said, be patient with yourself! You don't have to get to the hardcore nitty gritty in the first few sessions. Just keep yourself open to exploring and find a therapist that you feel safe with. If you set your intention to healing, you will do just fine!

Overcoming Sexual Abuse

This is going to be short and sweet but I HAD to share it!

I stumbled across this blog/website on accident but after exploring it, I am so grateful I found it! The woman who runs it, Christina Enevoldsen, is a survivor of childhood sexual abuse and writes openly about her experiences. The main purpose of the blog is to reach out to others who need help through their journey of healing.

This kind of resource could be the perfect fit for someone who is feeling a little timid about sharing their secret and can get some support and help in a more anonymous way. Christina writes articles and also provides personal coaching, online courses and books!

The website is called Overcoming Sexual Abuse. This woman is incredible to share her story and then to be able to turn around and offer hope and healing to others is amazing and it warms my heart.

If you have some time, check it out for yourself and maybe share it with those who might need it. Healing requires owning our story, and that calls for a support system!

Vicarious Trauma

My first experience with vicarious trauma that I can recall, was September 11, 2001. I was in 4th grade and lived no where near New York City. There was a lot of trauma happening in the city, but there was also trauma all over the country. I remember as a 9 year old, watching the news and seeing the clips play over and over of the billowing clouds of smoke, the towers falling down on themselves, and the particularly horrifying clips of people jumping from the buildings. I remember feeling terrified and worried that something similar would happen where I lived. My sweet mother reassured me that we lived in a fairly insignificant part of America that would be very unlikely to be targeted, which helped ease my worry. However, anytime the news was on about the happenings in the city, I had to leave the room because it was too much for me to handle. I eventually was able to move past the intense and distressing feelings that resulted from that terrorist attack. I was more fortunate than others who dealt with, and probably still deal with, worse experiences from that day.

Also known as secondary trauma, vicarious trauma happens when we accumulate and carry the stories of trauma—including images, sounds, and resonant details—we have heard, which then come to inform our worldview.* And yes, it still qualifies as trauma, because remember, trauma is any distressing experience that alters your perspective of the world. 

Since 9/11, I have experienced other forms of vicarious trauma; hearing about my friends’ sexual assaults, reading a heart-wrenching news story of child abuse, and listening to the accounts of sexual abuse from my clients at work. With each experience of vicarious trauma, I had to take some time to process and reset my mind. Each event brought up difficult emotions, some easier to handle than others. And each one in their own way, brought up a distorted thought or perception about the world: “men can’t be trusted,” “the world is a terrible place,” or “there is no good left in the world.” Each thought brought panic and feelings of despair. I had to process through each experience and remind myself that one instance does not represent the human kind in its entirety. I reminded myself that there are still good people and good things in the world, I just had to keep looking for the good.

The point I’m trying to make is that each of us are likely to experience vicarious trauma. Whether you are a mental health counselor, teacher, parent, siblings or friend. You may have someone in your life share a traumatic experience with you, or you may read something disturbing in the news. The feelings that come from that are common, and you are not alone. You may experience feelings of fear, anger, sadness, anxiety, despair or panic. Be gentle with yourself and practice self-compassion, the way you would for a best friend. Allow yourself time to process and take care of yourself. If you are a mental health counselor, make sure you are engaging in self-care and setting healthy emotional boundaries. If you have a friend who is need of your help, make sure to take time for yourself and ask for help when you need it. Seek professional help if you find that your feelings are making it difficult to function like you normally do. 

I think we all have an innate sense to want to help and nurture others in difficult times, but be sure to take care of yourself first, so you have your whole self to give.  

*Definition found here