Clinical Resource: Finding the Right Therapist

Tiffani Kennedy: Getting that help from the beginning was  very important but it’s also challenging

because like where do you start who are the right therapists who do we need to see.

Kheila Holmes: If somebody were to ask me that I’m trying to find somebody that’s a fit for my child, I will just have to talk about just the logistics just just what’s your insurance and that’ll narrow down our list

and then we’ll go from there.

Allison Smith: Therapy typically  involves talking about a lot of personal things that some people may not naturally just bring up in other settings and so you want to be around someone that you feel like you could have those hard conversations with that you could share what’s going on um and that they would listen to  you and support you and care about you.

Sufna John: The right therapist will be someone that you could see  yourself talking to in a fairly easy manner just like any other human relationship therapist  fit is important there are some people with based

on their personality based on their temperament and interaction style they make us feel at ease.

Isis Pettway: Are you looking for particular gender race working with certain cultural uh cultural competency as we say in the clinical world what are the issues  you’re wanting to approach you have therapists you have certain Niche every therapist is not  for everybody and every client is not for every

therapist and so you want to narrow down what what particular issues are you wanting to work

with are there certain specializations.

Holmes: And then maybe asking I mean if the child is old enough to kind of engage in these conversations but either  between the parent and the child them just kind of seeing who would they feel the most just starting  out they think based on their understanding of their child the most comfortable with.

Beth Tody: Mental  health supports are not a one-sized fits all um and that’s that’s really great news because  or I wish that it was interpreted as great news because just because as you meet one person and  they you didn’t click with them that doesn’t mean that there’s not a thousand other people and  hundreds of other ways to support your own mental health and your child’s in a way that works for both of you

Smith: Sometimes people want therapists who really understand their experiences so depending  on aspects of somebody’s identity like their race or their sexual orientation or their gender identity or their ethnicity they may want a therapist that fits those dynamics so that they have someone who understands that a little better and so I would consider that in your family about what are those important things for you is it critical that you have someone who’s  lived the similar kind of experiences to you and seek those out in your community.

Kennedy: Knowing  that they have other people outside of mom and dad to talk to you will just ground them it just  lets them know like hey you’re not alone you’re not the only one feeling this way it’s normal  and let’s figure out how to get you through it.