17
LOCATING A THERAPIST
America is overcrowded with helpers; there are so many helpful people out there, they are literally bumping into each other, and must be regulated by laws and organizations to keep them from helping so much that the average client in need of help isn't torn to shreds.
Paul G. Quinnett, The Troubled People Book
This chapter assumes that you have used one of the two methods described in Chapter 7, "Self-Diagnosis: Mapping Your Way to a Therapy," and have now chosen an approach to therapy that seems most promising in relation to your goals or problems and your personality. You now face the practical problem of how to locate a therapist with the professional expertise to offer you the kind of help you desire.
There are three factors that you need to take into account in order to find a suitable therapist:
1. the degree of seriousness of your problem or need
2. any financial limitations you may have
3. the resources available where you live (or how far you are willing to travel if you cannot locate the help you want in your area)
The seriousness of your problem or need may fall into one of three general categories:
Very urgent need: You are severely upset, perhaps suicidal or dangerous to others. Or, you are suffering from extreme changes of mood or personality, major depression, delusions, or hallucinations. In either of these cases, you should see a professional immediately. You or a friend or relative should contact your family physician for a referral to a psychiatrist or call a crisis intervention center for a referral to a psychiatrist. (Crisis intervention centers, sometimes called suicide prevention centers or crisis hot lines are listed among the emergency numbers on the inside front page of your White Pages directory; otherwise, dial 911 for assistance.)