Part III of this book will describe how you can go about locating good professional care, whether from a family therapist, an analyst, a social worker, a psychiatrist, a clinical psychologist, or another kind of therapist. You will learn how you can find a reputable professional with a particular specialization, and you will be encouraged to ask him or her some useful questions before beginning treatment.
As we will see in detail later on, there are numerous settings in which counselors and therapists work. Many are in private practice, but many also work for a variety of agencies, both public and private, for hospitals and newly established nonhospital residential facilities, and even for educational institutions. We will discuss each of these settings in Part III so that you will have a clear idea both of the alternatives that exist and of important factors to consider when deciding among them.
SHOULD YOU BE HOSPITALIZED?
"Should I consent to hospitalization?" "What will I encounter if I accept hospitalization?" "Is it necessary, is it desirable?" Another chapter in Part III is devoted to answering these and related questions.
IS YOUR PRIVACY PROTECTED?
In many ways it will be, and in other ways it may not be. Confidentiality as it relates to the treatment of emotional or psychological difficulties is a thorny issue, one that worries many people. In Part III, a chapter is devoted to a discussion of this potentially important area of personal concern.
DOES THERAPY WORK?
You may, of course, feel a certain amount of skepticism about the real utility and effectiveness of any one of the many therapies that now exist. This is, in my judgment, a healthy skepticism. A chapter in Part III will review what you may be able to expect, and perhaps should not expect, in the light of recent evaluations of the effectiveness of the main therapies. To complement these as yet incomplete scientific findings, I will emphasize a measure of ordinary common sense as we go along.
LIFE AFTER THERAPY
The last chapter in this book deals with what to expect after therapy. Recurrences, future crises—they often come with the package: life! Relapses—re-experiencing feelings of distress—have received too little attention. Often, old habits and feelings remain with us and reappear during times of stress. Too, we know that as life goes on, we need to be able to tackle new problems and new situations and sometimes must handle unexpected crises. Chapter 21 tells you how the experience of therapy will help you cope with possible setbacks and the uncertainties of the future.