Choosing an In Person Therapist in Morris County, NJ
You’ve google searched, asked friends, asked the school and doctor’s office, and run through 100 Psychology Today Profiles. All of your in-network providers are full or have months-long waitlists. You leave messages and send e-mails without getting a response. Maybe you’ve even been lucky enough to get an appointment, but found yourself disappointed after your first meeting. How can finding an in-person therapist be so difficult?
Mental health treatment needs are growing by the day
Most therapists will tell you that the phones are busier than ever. People are struggling and they are looking for help. However, this isn’t an excuse for therapists not to return calls. We’re running a helping business and we need to prioritize responsiveness, even when we can’t take on new clients. It can be reassuring to know you’re not alone in your struggles, but frustrating to feel like nobody responds to your outreach for help. In fact, this is the point that many people think, “It’s not that bad, I’ll get through it” and stop searching for a therapist. We want to encourage you not to give up on feeling better. Therapists are busy because therapy can be life-changing! At a time full of so much turmoil, having empathic support in a confidential environment can make all of the difference.
With so many online directories, where do I start?
Psychology Today. Therapy Den. Headway. Alma. And the list goes on. Do you miss the days of the Yellow Pages yet? Therapy directories can be helpful, but they can also be overwhelming. Before we get down to the Nitty Gritty of what these directories can and can’t do, and how they make their money, let’s talk about good places to start.
Consider the reason you are seeking therapy and what you think might be helpful. If you have a trusted circle of friends, it’s a great idea to ask if they’ve any positive (or negative) experiences with a specific therapist or method of treatment. If you know you need couples’ counseling, consider looking for a therapist with experience working with couples (or families or both) who has received ongoing training to support your growth. If a therapist has a website, a review of their service descriptions and “about me” page might give you a better understanding of their experience, education, and training. We encourage you not to get too caught up in the “alphabet soup” or letters after your therapists name. All therapists are required to get a degree to maintain licensure in New Jersey, but therapists should have ongoing training and experience in the area you are seeking support.
But, seriously, what do all of the letters mean?
Most therapists are psychologists (Ph.D., Psy.D.), Clinical Social Workers (LCSW), Professional Counselors (LPCs), or Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFT) in the state of New Jersey. All require a minimum of a Master’s degree, supervised experience, and passing a licensing exam to be licensed to practice independently in New Jersey. Psychologists will have a doctoral degree. All of the graduate education programs in the different field have a slightly different focus, but I have worked with therapists from each of these fields who are excellent, and some who are not. You have to feel comfortable talking openly to your therapist and feel you are getting an empathic response. The best way to find out if your therapist is a good fit for you is to start with a brief phone consultation. The vast majority of therapists will offer a free 15 minute phone consultation to discuss your needs and how they might work with you. It’s perfectly acceptable to let the therapist know that you are speaking to a few people and starting with the provider that you feel most comfortable with. At Skylands Wellness, LLC, we’re always happy to chat and wait for you to call back if and when you’re ready to schedule.
That sounds nice, but nobody is returning my calls or e-mails!
This is a major problem in the field. How long have you waited? If it’s only been two hours, I encourage you to hold out until tomorrow before you panic. Most therapists are running their own businesses and returning calls between sessions. However, if you haven’t received a response in a day or two, and it isn’t a major holiday, then this person might not be the most responsive and supportive person for you.
I once had a therapist reschedule an initial appointment multiple times. Finally, this therapist cancelled the appointment stating the building was closed due to a fire incident. When I drove by the building on the way home, the parking lot was full and people were going in and out! Eek! If your initial encounter is anything like this, run, don’t walk to the next available provider.
If you’re looking to pay with insurance and finding that all of the in-network providers are booked or don’t respond, there’s a clear reason for this. The shear volume of clients needed to sustain an in-network practice at the low reimbursement rates required by insurance means those providers are often extremely busy and can’t afford administrative support. Many (not all) in-network providers also use provisionally licensed therapists who should be under supervision while conducting therapy. There’s nothing wrong with seeing a provisionally licensed therapist (we all were at one point), but do ask who is providing supervision and what sort of training the therapist is receiving as they work toward independent licensure.
At Skylands Wellness, we’ve stayed out of network so we can focus on you, the client, and not the insurance red-tape and complicated requirements to get paid. We do understand the difficulty this can present for families, so we offer to verify benefits, support you in submitting for reimbursement, and allow for adjusted payment plans as needed. If you don’t have out of network benefits and can’t seem to find an in network provider, please talk to us about options to work with your insurance company to make sure your needs are met. Even if we can’t service you at Skylands Wellness, we can help point you toward some solutions.
Why not just use those online therapy services?
The first thing that pops up when you search for a therapist near you will be an online therapy service. These organizations (who regularly advertise on podcasts too) don’t operate the same way a smaller therapy practice does. This is one of the many times when shopping local does make a difference. There is generally minimal oversight of therapists, many of whom are grossly underpaid. By capitalizing on the shear volume of therapists, they can afford to advertise in ways most of our small practices never could. Some of these services even require you to agree to allow your data to be shared and used for marketing. No thank you! Therapy should be the MOST private and confidential service you ever access in your lifetime. Some of these services advertise your therapist being available to you 24/7 or allowing you to change out your therapist like dirty socks. Therapy is built on a relationship with healthy boundaries. Your therapist shouldn’t feel like your “friend” and shouldn’t be paid by the word to text you back. Don’t get us wrong, we absolutely respond to our clients, but our clients really don’t want us texting them all hours of the day either.
OK so what about those online directories…
An online directory, like Therapy Den, can be a great “menu” of options in your area. This directory is free to use for therapists and charges a reasonable fee for upgraded listings. You can also filter for in-person therapists. Psychology Today is probably the most commonly used therapist directory. This is a paid advertising service for providers. There are other more specific directories like Therapy for Black Girls and Inclusive Therapists which might help you find the right fit for your specific needs. Be wary of network linked therapist directories. Some therapy directories are just marketing services for those online therapy services that we encourage you to shy away from. If the directory itself is asking for payment to see the provider, then you aren’t paying the therapist directly. You’re paying the advertising machine who gives a small percentage to that provider. We think you can get better services elsewhere!
If you haven’t been getting a response or you need more help finding a therapist for any issue, please give us a call (973-527-4539) or send us a message. We promise to respond promptly and give you some options for therapists that can see you in-person, online or both! Use the links below to learn more about our specialized servcices: