When you struggle with mental health issues, you are always encouraged to seek help. However, the act of seeking help can be overwhelming in and of itself. This NPR article offers some guidance on how you can begin the process of therapy and reaching out. The most important thing is to acknowledge the stigmas and issues that may be holding you back from seeking help. A good first step is to reframe therapy for yourself. “I think of seeing a therapist as just getting a second opinion about what you’re doing,” says Pahoua Yang, vice president of community mental health and wellness at the Amherst H. Wilder Foundation. “And then you can decide from there.” Another important tool is knowing how to find the right therapist. Lori Gottlieb, a psychotherapist, recommends looking through different databases like the one on Psychology Today before coming up with a list of questions you want to ask your potential therapist. What experience do they have working with your issue or community? How does a typical session with them work? Do their available hours match yours? She suggests then going in for a visit to see if it’s a match.

The article elaborates on these tips and more, linked here.