Why Consider Psychotherapy?

For most human beings, a long and eventful life brings with it emotional challenges that result in pain, loss, disappointments, frustration, anger, and confusion.  Our attempts to cope with these feelings through denial that a problem exists, substance abuse to ease the pain, loss of control of behavior to decrease tension, or withdrawing from the world to avoid “falling apart” can only aggravate the situation.  Millions of Americans have found relief through the courageous decision to seek psychotherapy and help themselves and their families.  In the hope of helping individuals make an informed and proactive decision about seeking help, we offer this brief question and answer guide about outpatient (non-hospital) psychotherapy. 

What is Psychotherapy?

Psychotherapy is a partnership between you and a professional, such as a psychologist, who is trained and licensed to help people understand their feelings and assist them in changing their emotions/behavior in a non-judgmental setting. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, one-third of adults in the US experience an emotional or substance abuse problem, and nearly 25 percent of the adult population suffer at some point from depression and anxiety. 

It is prudent to consider therapy when:

  • You feel a prolonged and overwhelming sense of sadness, helplessness, anger, confusion, and lack of hope in your life.
  • Your emotional difficulties make it hard to function day to day in your job, family, school, or relationship.
  • Your actions are harmful to yourself or others such as you drink too much alcohol or behave overly aggressively.
  • You are profoundly impacted by emotional difficulties facing family members or close friends.
  • Your child or teen is continually angry, withdrawn, non-communicative, or doing poorly in school.
  • Your family cannot seem to get along.

How Do You Find a Qualified Therapist?

Seeking a therapist is a highly personal matter so that a professional who works well with one individual may or may not be a good choice for another person.  There are several ways to obtain referrals to qualified therapists:

  • You can search this website’s Find A Psychologist for someone qualified to treat your specific problem or issue, their treatment approach, location, and contact information. 
  • You can talk to close family members or friends for their recommendations, especially if they had a helpful experience in their psychotherapy.
  • Many state psychological associations operate referral services which put individuals in touch with licensed and competent mental health providers. You can contact the California Psychological Association at www.cpapsych.org. 
  • You can ask your primary care physician (or other health professional) for a referral. Inform your doctor about what is important to you in choosing a therapist so he or she can make appropriate suggestions.
  • Inquire at your church or synagogue.
  • Look in the phone book for the listing of a local mental health association (SMCPA 650-347-4100) or community mental health center and check those sources for possible referrals.

Ideally you will end up with more than one lead.  Call and request the opportunity, either by phone or in person, to ask the therapist questions regarding:  licensure; level of training and experience; approach to psychotherapy; and participation in insurance plans and fees.  These questions should help you sort through your options and chose someone with whom you believe you might interact well.

Why Is Psychologist Licensure Important?

Psychologists must meet very strict education and licensing requirements established by the State of California Board of Psychology in order to be permitted to provide psychological health care.  Minimum standards for psychologists include graduation from an approved university or professional school of psychology with an earned doctoral degree in psychology, completion of from two to five or more years of supervised training, and the passing of the state licensing examination. 

Licensing laws protect the consumer by insuring that the psychologist has the appropriate qualifications, abides by the American Psychological Association Ethical Principles, and is answerable to consumer complaints and state regulatory agencies.

It should be noted that the use of the title "Psychologist" is reserved under California law for individuals who have obtained a license from the California State Board of Psychology. The title may also be used by certain state government employees, and by instructors in academic institutions who are not providing psychological services to the public. The use of the title "Psychologist" is similar in legal status to the use of the terms "Attorney" or "Physician."

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What Can Psychologists Help With?

  • Abuse, Child (emotional/physical)
  • Addictions
  • Adjustment Disorders
  • Adults Molested As Children
  • Aging
  • Anger
  • Anxiety/Depression
  • Attention-Deficit Disorder
  • Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
  • Bariatric Assessment
  • Bipolar Disorder
  • Blended Families
  • Body Image
  • Business/Professional Issues
  • Chronic Pain
  • Co-Parenting
  • Conduct Disorders
  • Custody/Mediation
  • Death/Dying
  • Dementia/Cognitive
  • Diabetes
  • Dissociative Disorders
  • Divorce
  • Domestic Violence
  • Eating Disorders
  • Family Conflicts
  • Forensics
  • Gay/Lesbian Issues
  • Gender Identity Disorder
  • Geriatric Issues
  • Grief & Loss
  • HIV/AIDS
  • Homicide/Suicide Survivors
  • Impulse Control Disorders
  • Infertility
  • Intimacy Problems
  • Learning Disabilities
  • Lifespan Development
  • Men’s/Women’s Issues
  • Mood Disorders
  • Obesity
  • Obsessive Compulsive Disorders
  • Panic Disorders
  • Personality Disorders
  • Phobias
  • Physical Illness/Disability
  • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
  • Pre-Marital Counseling
  • Psychotic Disorders
  • Relationships
  • Remarriage Issues
  • Sexual Compulsions
  • Somatoform Disorders
  • Spiritual Issues
  • Stress
  • Substance Abuse
  • Trauma
  • Weight Loss
  • Workplace Issues

What Services Do Clinical Psychologists Provide?

  • Conservatorship Evaluations:
    • For Those Unable To Care For Themselves
    • For those Who Are Mentally Disabled
  • Consultation:
    • To Businesses
    • To Lawyers
    • To Mental Health Organizations
    • To Other Psychologists Regarding Their Work
  • Crisis Intervention:
    • Following Catastrophic Events
    • For Individuals and Families
    • Within Hospital Settings
  • Divorce Mediation:
    • To Promote Calm Financial Negotiations
    • To Promote Collaborative Spousal Agreements
    • To Promote Effective Child Sharing
  • Educational:
    • Assess ADD/ADHD
    • Identify Gifted Students
    • Identify Learning Disabilities
    • Provide Academic Aptitude And IQ Testing
  • Forensic:
    • Consultations To Courts And Attorneys:
      • Child Custody Conflicts
      • Personal Injury Suits
      • Sexual Harassment Cases
      • Worker’s Compensation Cases
  • Health:
    • Assist Patients with Medical Problems Related To Emotional Issues
    • Biofeedback and Hypnosis:
      • For Relaxation Training
      • For Smoking Cessation
      • For Weight Reduction
      • To Assist Recall/Memory
    • Help individuals Cope With Chronic Pain
    • Help Patients Cope With Medical Problems/Procedures
    • Improve Emotional Tolerance In Long Term Medical Treatments
  • Neuropsychology:
    • Assess General Location of Brain Lesions/Tumors
    • Assess Mental/Behavioral Problems Related To Brain Injury
  • Organizational:
    • Improve Functioning Of Organization’s Productivity
    • Promote Health of Individuals In The Workplace
    • Research The Interaction Between People And Machines
  • Sports:
    • Enhance Motivation/Performance Of Athletes
    • Improve Team Performance

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How Should I Try To Gain The Most From Psychotherapy?

There are many approaches to outpatient psychotherapy and various formats in which it may occur, including individual, group, and family psychotherapy.  Despite the variations, all psychotherapy is a two-way process that works especially well when patients and their therapists communicate openly.  Research has shown that the outcome of psychotherapy is improved when the therapist and patient agree early on about what the major problems are and how psychotherapy can help. 

You and your therapist both have responsibilities in establishing and maintaining a good working relationship.  Be clear with your expectations and share any concerns or problems that arise as you interact with the therapist.  The therapist should be open to your reactions and be willing to evaluate what might be occurring within you and between the two of you.  Psychotherapy works best when you attend all scheduled sessions and give some forethought to what you wish to discuss each visit. 

How Can I Evaluate Whether Therapy Is Working Well?

As you begin psychotherapy, you should establish clear goals with your therapist.  Perhaps you want to overcome feelings of hopelessness associated with depression.  Or maybe you would like to control a fear that disrupts your daily life.  Keep in mind that certain emotional/cognitive tasks require more time to accomplish than others.  You may need to adjust some of your goals depending on how long you plan to be in psychotherapy. 

There may be times when a therapist appears cold and uninterested or doesn’t seem to regard you positively.  Tell your therapist if this is the situation, or if you question other aspects of his or her approach.  If you find yourself thinking about discontinuing psychotherapy, talk to your therapist about these feelings.  Such clear and honest discussions can increase the therapist’s understanding of you as an individual and enhance your collaborative work.  If you don’t feel such discussions are productive it can be helpful to consult another professional, provided you inform your therapist you are seeking a second opinion. 

It’s important to keep in mind that patients often feel a wide range of emotions during psychotherapy.  Some of the dissatisfaction that can result during psychotherapy often results from the difficulty of experiencing painful and troubling emotions.  No therapist can respond or behave exactly as the patient may wish or hope and such interactions can lead to old, repetitive feelings that are distressing in the moment.  When this happens, it can actually be a positive sign indicating that you are starting to explore your meaningful thoughts and behaviors.  Such distressing sessions can reoccur as you work through your specific problems.  Over time the process should begin to feel more natural to you and your emotional struggles should begin to ease in your daily life.   

Over time you should spend time with your therapist reviewing your progress (or your concern that you are not making sufficient headway).  Although there are other considerations affecting the duration of psychotherapy, success in reaching your primary goals should be a major factor in deciding when your psychotherapy should end.

Psychotherapy isn’t easy, but patients who are willing to work in close partnership with their therapists often find relief from their emotional distress and begin to lead more productive and fulfilling lives.

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