What to consider when looking for a therapist in Denver, Colorado

 When you’re ready to start seeking professional help with your emotional and mental health, it can feel a little overwhelming knowing where to begin.

No need to panic because you’re like many people who are trying to figure out how to find a therapist in Denver, Colorado.

It’s perfectly normal to feel some anxiety about talking with someone for the first time, and most therapists understand what you’re going through.

As you begin this journey there are some important things to consider and ways to make this process as smooth and easy as possible.

Important things that we will cover in more depth about finding the right therapist include:

• Do some research before you contact a therapist
• How to interview a potential therapist
• The best ways to find a therapist in Denver
• And most importantly how to find the right therapist for you 

Do some research before contacting a counselor

One thing I’ve learned in life is that doing some research ahead of time can save a lot of time, energy, and money!

This applies to most things in life including how to find a good therapist in Denver.

Every therapist is unique and there’s no one size fits all when it comes to counseling.

The key having a good experience in counseling is finding a therapist who can help you accomplish your goals for therapy!

Some important things to research include:

1) Where is the therapist’s office located? Consider how far you’re willing to drive for the right person. If you live in Thornton and your therapist works in Capital Hill, are you committed to driving there on a regular basis?

2) What are your goals for therapy and can your counselor help you accomplish them? Think about what you want to accomplish in counseling so you find a therapist to help you get there.

3) How will you pay for therapy and how much can you afford? You’ll want to find out what your therapist charges. This information might be provided online, but sometimes you’ll have to call and ask for this information. If you’re planning to use insurance you’ll need to find a counselor that’s able to take your insurance.

Find a therapist that’s right for you

The key to good therapy is having a good relationship with your counselor so you want to find someone that fits you the best.

Every counselor is going to be different. We all have different personalities, training, experience, and skills that will affect your experience in counseling.

Research has shown that the 3 most important factors in counseling are 1) That you don’t feel judged by your therapist 2) That you feel like your counselor understands you and 3) That you feel like your therapist is honest and transparent with you.

At the end of the day you need to make sure you feel safe with your therapist. If you don’t feel comfortable talking with this person you’ll be reluctant to be honest and you may not get the results you want from therapy.

If you happen to be looking for a trauma therapist in Denver you can take a look at this other article I’ve written on how to find a good trauma therapist in Denver.

Interview some potential therapists in Denver

 Don’t be afraid to shop around for a therapist. There’s nothing wrong with calling around and talking with some potential counselors. After you’ve done your research you will probably have some questions in mind.

You can prepare by writing down a couple initial questions you want to ask them on the phone. A few questions you may want to ask include:

• Are you accepting new clients?
• Where is your office located?
• Do you specialize in any type of therapy?
• What are your fees, or do you accept insurance?

The initial phone call will probably be brief. You just want to see if they would potentially be a good fit. You will probably screen a few people out once you ask some of your initial questions.

If you find a therapist that seems to fit what you’re looking for, you can start by scheduling your first appointment. Think of this appointment as an extension of your phone interview. You still want to get to know the therapist and make sure you both feel like there’s a good working relationship.

Some therapists may offer a free initial appointment by phone or in person. Others may charge a fee for an appointment. You may want to clarify so you’re not surprised with a bill at the end of your time.

Don’t let an initial fee stop you from meeting a good potential counselor. It would probably be better to pay for an initial visit even if you don’t end up working with them than working with someone who’s not a great fit and not achieve your goals for therapy.

“The key to good therapy is finding a therapist to establish a comfortable relationship”

Find a therapist that knows how to treat your problem

 No therapist can do it all. There’s a lot to consider when it comes to mental health. Finding a therapist that specializes or has experience with the problem you’re facing can be very helpful.

Many therapists will advertise their specialties and they may work with more than one issue. As a general rule most therapists can work well with 3-5 different areas of counseling. I’m always a little skeptical when someone advertises that they “specialize” with 15 different mental health issues.

Counselors are human and we work better with some people. Many therapists may work with certain populations such as a play therapist that works with children, or someone trained to understand the unique challenges in the transgender community.

Even if someone doesn’t specialize in a certain area, you can always ask what type of experience they have or how they will go about working with you.

Don’t be afraid to ask these questions so you can find someone to help you accomplish your goals.

Consider how you will pay for a therapist in Denver

 There is a financial cost involved with therapy. The most expensive therapist doesn’t always equal the best therapist. You should consider how much you can afford and how much you’re willing to pay for the right person.

There are basically two ways to pay for counseling. You can use health insurance if your plan covers mental health counseling, or you can pay for therapy yourself.

If you choose to use your insurance you may have to do some research because not every therapist accepts insurance. The easiest way to find a therapist that accepts your insurance is to contact your insurance provider and they can tell you what therapists are in their network.

When you’re paying for therapy out of your own pocket the prices can vary. The average cost for therapy in Denver is about 100 to 145 dollars per hour. You will want to talk with your therapist to decide how often you will meet, and how long to expect therapy to last. These will affect how much you might spend for mental health counseling.

To learn more about the cost of therapy in Denver check out this more in depth article titled “What Does Therapy Cost in Denver?”

If you don’t have health insurance and you can’t afford to pay for therapy out of pocket, there are a couple options. You can look for a therapist that offers a sliding scale fee or a reduced rate. Some counselors in Denver will have a limited number of people they will see for a lower fee.

You can also contact the mental health center in your city or county listed below:

Denver Mental Health Center

Aurora Mental Health Center

Jefferson County Mental Health Center

Community Reach Center

Ask friends or family for recommendations for a counselor

When you’re ready begin looking for a therapist in Denver, you can start by asking people you already know. 

I would recommend starting with the people you trust. You may not want to advertise to everyone that you’re looking for a therapist. Talk with people in your life who support you and you trust with personal details about yourself.

You might be surprised by the number of people who have worked with a therapist. Most people are happy to recommend a counselor they enjoyed working with.

Getting a recommendation from someone you know is like finding a good review on that person. Your friend will probably tell you why they enjoyed their therapist and what they did to help.

This can save you a lot of time and work as you’re searching for a therapist.

Finding a therapist in Denver using an online directory

When you’ve done your research and you’re ready to begin finding a therapist, there’s a few online resources to help you.

If you’re searching for a therapist online you’ll most likely run across online directories such as PsychologyToday or GoodTherapy. These can be helpful resources because you can search through different therapist profiles and find a few potential people to contact.

One online directory that I like is TherapyDen. I like this directory because the creator Jeff Guenther, has intentionally designed it to help underserved populations of people.

Contact a therapist in Denver, Colorado

We hope that this guide has helped you consider some important questions as you’re looking for a therapist.

If you’re looking for a therapist in Denver, Colorado we would love to talk with you.  Our counseling clinic is located in the Cherry Creek area of Denver. We have a team of therapists ready to help.

You can learn more about our counseling center online at Ipseity Counseling Clinic or give a us a call at (720) 507-8170. One of our counselors would love to talk with you!