Orlando Therapist Providing Anxiety, Trauma and Relationship Therapy

Most people exhaust many of their own resources before actually reaching out to a therapist. They talk to their friends. They read self-help books. They talk to family and friends. They try meditation. They might even start a new workout regimen. It's when these things don't seem to work, that they reach out to a professional for therapy or counseling. As an anxiety and trauma therapist providing counseling in Orlando, I want to give you some resources while you’re looking for a therapist.

How do you find a therapist in Orlando?

Word of Mouth

I am a "word of mouth" kind of consumer. I almost always start with people I know when shopping for services, especially for something as important as meeting with a new therapist. Talk to your support group and find out who they have seen (and loved) for counseling. From my perspective as a client, I found the best therapist (for me) from my friend's recommendation. From my perspective as a therapist, client referrals are a great way to start the therapeutic relationship because the person being referred already has a good idea of the kind of work I do before we even talk on the phone.

Online Directory

Psychology Today and Good Therapy are efficient resources when shopping for a counselor in Orlando because you can search by different criteria and then read a short description about the counselor's specialties. Depending on what is important to you, whether it is looking for  location, insurance, specialty, LGBT, gender of the counselor, or treatment modality, you can create a list of therapists that you would like to interview and start calling them. 

Insurance Directory

If you're certain that you want to use your health insurance, I recommend starting with your company's mental health directory when looking for a counselor in Orlando. Most insurance companies offer a directory that can be accessed by either calling the number on the back of your insurance card or by using the company's online directory. On June 4, 2018, I am publishing a blog post on the "ins and outs" of using your health insurance for mental health care. Check back then for more information!

Open Path Collective

If the expense of therapy has you stopped in your therapeutic tracks, you can use Open Path Collective, a reduced rate online directory to help you find an Orlando counselor. You pay a lifetime membership fee of $49, and then you can schedule an appointment with one of the mental health care providers on the directory for a session fee ranging from $30-$50 for individual counseling and $30-$80 for couples counseling.

University of Central Florida

UCF's Community Counseling and Research Center is another great option if you need free counseling in Orlando. (uh umm, and my alma mater... :) Mental health counselors in training and marriage and family therapists in training offer free counseling to people within our community. 

Google

Of course, you can always use Google to find a therapist in Orlando. Google is a great tool if your primary search criteria is location. Assuming your location services are enabled, you can Google "counselor in Orlando," and the closest counseling office to your current location will appear on the map at the top of the page. Using Google takes a bit more time because you will need to go into each counselor's website to get more information about specialties and services provided.

What next when you're looking for a counselor in Orlando?

Regardless of how you find your therapist, it is important to interview your new counselor before scheduling the first appointment. Check out the 10 Questions to Ask your Orlando Therapist before you Make the First Appointment.

Please feel free to add to the list! If you know of other great resources for finding a counselor in Orlando, please comment below.

Related articles:

5 Things Your Therapist Wants you to Know

Health Insurance for Therapy? The Pro and Cons
Ins and Outs (in-network and out-of-network) of Health Insurance for Therapy
Free and Reduced Fee Counseling in Orlando
10 Questions to Ask your Orlando Therapist before the First Appointment

Mindful Living Counseling Orlando offers anxiety therapy, trauma counseling, eating disorder recovery, teen counseling, and EMDR Therapy in Orlando, Florida. We also specialize in helping people heal old broken relationship patterns that keep them from finding, creating, and keeping healthy relationships with partners, friends, and family. At Mindful Living Counseling Orlando, we use a down-to-earth approach infused with cutting-edge therapies that go beyond traditional talking to help clients feel calm in their body and mind and find peace within themselves. Please visit our free Guided Meditations to help you feel settled and calm now.