Finding the Right Anxiety Therapist For You
What are Some Things to Consider When Finding the Right Anxiety Therapist for You
Going to the therapy for the when you have anxiety is no small decision and who you choose as your therapist is also an important part of the process.
Most often I find that my clients have either asked a trusted friend or family member, maybe got a referral from another provider, or started searching on the internet.
However, singling out an anxiety therapist because they take your insurance or googling “therapist near me” does not always mean that therapist is going to be the best fit for you and your needs.
I am an anxiety therapist in Wilmington, NC and provide therapy for women experiencing anxiety, perfectionism, imposter syndrome, and burnout in North Carolina and Maryland.
Check out some tips below of things to consider when starting your therapy process for the first time.
Also check out these helpful blogs for additional information on What To Expect When You Start Therapy for Anxiety & 5 Tips for Choosing the Best Anxiety Therapist in Wilmington, NC
What to Consider When You Start Anxiety Treatment for the First Time
What are your reasons for starting anxiety treatment?
This may be something really specific or it could be something more general.
Example: There is a lot going on in your life and you are feeling more stressed out than usual. Your sleep is off, worries seem to be taking over, and you’re having headaches more frequently.
Or
You may have a history of experiencing anxiety but recently began experiencing panic attacks when leaving the house.
The Difference Between Anxiety Attacks and Panic Attacks
What changes do you want to see in your life?
What do you want your life to be like going forward?
Are there things you want to be doing different?
Ways you want to be thinking differently?
As an anxiety therapist in Wilmington,NC, I make sure to ask my clients what their goals are for therapy. This not only happens during our consultation but also within the first session. At times my clients may come into the therapy process knowing what they want and other times it can be more of a collaborative effort with client and therapist working together to determine your goals. Often these goals include improved sleep, feeling less anxious, improved relationship with others, and less worried.
What is your Anxiety therapist style and specialty?
No, this does not necessarily mean your therapist will be showing up in the latest fashion trends to your therapy appointment. This is more about the approach your therapist takes when in session. Does the therapist take more of an active, passive, or middle road? Therapy sessions are all about the client but at times a therapist may need to be a bit more directive and structured with the therapy approach and other times the client is guiding the therapy appointment.
With my clients I may be doing some education, skill building, relaxation training, or identifying stressful thoughts. This tends to lend more towards a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy approach (CBT) or Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) as it often referred to.
cbt for anxiety in Wilmington, NC
CBT identifies how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors relate to each other. CBT focuses on identifying patterns with thoughts and behaviors that may not be so helpful and work to challenge them into healthier ways of thinking or responding to situations and feelings.
ACT for Anxiety in Wilmington, NC
ACT emphasizes importance of psychological flexibility and learning to live with your anxiety in a different way.
CBT vs ACT for Anxiety Treatment
Mindfulness Therapy in Wilmington, NC
Mindfulness is a big part of ACT and one of the core pieces to this treatment approach and it can be wonderfully incorporated into CBT as well. Mindfulness is used to become more present in the here and now and recognize what thoughts, feelings, physical sensations you may be experiencing. When this happens it can help you feel more in control of thoughts and reactions.
Check out this helpful blog post about Understanding Your Anxiety and How to Treat It
How are you going to pay for therapy?
Of course there are various factors that go into this decision for you as the client. Therapy itself is a commitment. It requires time, energy, and is an investment in yourself.
Therapists may choose to not accept insurance for many reasons including not wanting to being limited to number of sessions, lengths of session, where therapy occurs (in person, on the phone, or having online therapy sessions), creativity and freedoms in treatment approaches, and/or not being reimbursed by insurance companies for the reasons why a client is seeking therapy in the first place.
If you choose to use insurance your therapist is required to give you a diagnosis, there is no guarantee your treatment will be covered, and insurance companies may ask for justifications for your treatment.
Location
Before the COVID-19 pandemic occurred location of counseling appointments took place in an office setting but online therapy was beginning to gain popularity. A google search may have included a therapist physically located closest to your home or work. Now online therapy appointments allow for therapy sessions to happen from virtually anywhere. The benefits of this is that it may include finding the best fit therapist for you is in the next town over, county over, or even on the other side of your state.
I provide online therapy to anyone located in Maryland and North Carolina. For more information on these options click below.
Online Therapy in Maryland
Online Therapy in North Carolina
Check out this blog if you are interested in online therapy.
Is Online Therapy Right for Me?
Benefits of Using Online Therapy for Anxiety Relief
How Do I Know if I Found the Right Anxiety Therapist?
I believe this question has a lot of different answers and there is not necessarily ONE thing either. So here it goes…
First, I think it is important to know what style of therapy your therapist uses. As mentioned above I use a CBT and ACT approach and focus a lot on incorporating mindfulness into my therapy work.
Second, I highly recommend choosing a therapist that specializes in the issues you are wanting to seeking therapy for. As therapists we spend a lot of time educating ourself. This includes conventional schooling, internships, volunteering, supervision, consultation, and yearly continuing education to keep our practicing license up to date. So this means we spend a lot of time and money focusing on these specific issues or challenges and become well versed in order to help our clients.
Third, when you meet with your therapist do find that you feel comfortable and it is a good match? This is something you may pick up on right away or it may take a few sessions to recognize. The therapeutic relationship can be really important to the therapy work that occurs.
Once you start therapy if you don’t feel like you have a good connection with the therapist, that’s okay. It’s okay to bring this up with your therapist, in fact it is really healthy to bring this up with your therapist. This can allow for healthy communication and allow for you and your therapist to work through some issues or for you and your therapist to find some more appropriate referrals for your treatment. Your care is the most important.
Before taking on a client, I offer free 15 minute consultation as an initial step to help identify if a client and I would be a good fit for the therapy process together.
Remember therapy is about you and your needs.
Questions to ask your new therapist during a consultation
If you are interested in scheduling a free 15 minute consultation, follow the steps below to learn how!
First, click the button above to schedule
Next, choose a location. Please note all Maryland appointments will be virtual.
Then, choose a date and time for your consultation based on the open availability.
Next, enter your information so that I can contact you on the day and time you chose.
Lastly, once your request has been received you will be emailed an invitation to the client portal where there is a brief questionnaire to fill out before the consultation takes place. It asks questions regarding availability, reasons for seeking therapy, and goals.
Start Anxiety Treatment With Me Today
Hi, my name is Laura and I am an anxiety therapist in Wilmington, NC and I love working with therapy first timers! Check out Meet Laura to learn more about me and my therapy practice, Calm Waters Counseling. I provide anxiety counseling for women experiencing anxiety, perfectionism, imposter syndrome, and burnout.
I am a licensed to provide therapy in Maryland and North Carolina. This means I am able to provide online therapy to anyone located in these two states. If you have been interested in wanting to start online therapy, check out the information below to learn more.
Online Therapy in Maryland
Online Therapy in North Carolina
Remember going to therapy is a big investment in yourself. Not this doesn’t just mean financially but also with your time and energy too. I hope this was helpful and offered some things to think about as you start your anxiety treatment.
By: Laura Rippeon, LCSW, LCSW-C
Updated 3/12/23