There’s no doubt the United States has played a huge part in developing revolutionary treatments for all sorts of illnesses. This is true of mental illness as well. Many of the most significant theories in the history of psychology have been formulated here.
However, there’s a disconnect between the tremendous progress in treatment options and access to it. Especially when it comes to mental illness, millions of at-risk Americans aren’t getting treatment. This is due to lack of awareness, as well as practical factors such as cost and convenience.
Kentucky certainly isn’t the worst of the states when it comes to mental health access. There is a significant number of people suffering from mental illness in Louisville alone. 60% or more of them are receiving excellent treatment.
Unfortunately, that still leaves a huge contingent who are suffering on their own. Not everyone is able to find a therapist in Louisville KY. If you or a loved one are looking for a therapist, you probably have a lot of questions.
Thankfully, online therapy is a reality, and finding a therapist is easier than ever. Welcome to ThriveTalk.
Here is everything you need to know about finding an online therapist in Louisville KY.
Online Therapy is a New Method for an Old Treatment
There are those who are understandably skeptical about whether online therapy can be effective. After all, a major aspect of successful therapy is the relationship between the client and the therapist. Can you really achieve this sort of connection online?
The answer, quite simply, is yes. Online therapy does not eschew the importance of this relationship. It does not turn communication into shorthand texts or let the client make anything less than a full commitment. It is a new method for an old treatment.
Online therapy on ThriveTalk is carried out via voice or video calls. You speak face-to-face with a highly-skilled therapist in Louisville KY or elsewhere, from the comfort of your own home or office.
It makes finding that therapist so much easier. Getting to appointments takes no time at all. It’s also cheaper.
An added benefit of online therapy is that no one has to know you’re seeing a counselor. Many people are still uncomfortable with letting others know they’re in therapy. With online therapy, you don’t have to go into a therapist’s office or account for hours away from home or work.
So, online therapy offers the same benefits as traditional therapy, while making it easier to find and connect with a therapist. But what does therapy itself entail? If you haven’t seen a therapist before, you might be a little disoriented by the process.
How Does Therapy Work?
At the core of all therapy is a relationship between the therapist and client, based on dialogue. In other words, the client shares their concerns and issues with the therapist, who guides them in managing their problems. When finding a therapist in Louisville KY, you will need to find someone who you can feel comfortable sharing with.
How they go about doing this depends on the therapist’s particular approach to therapy. Some rely mainly on helping the client talk through their problems. Others offer more hands-on skills to challenge distressing thoughts. All approaches have been proven to work, but you will likely find one type more helpful than another.
Let’s talk about that moment many people approach with a bit of trepidation. The first session.
The First Session
The first session is crucial, as this is where you first share your concerns with the therapist and find out if you click with their approach. Here is a brief breakdown of what happens.
First Impressions
First impressions are very important, although good therapy is based on adapting one’s preconceptions. You’ll enter the session with some idea of what to expect from the therapist on a professional level. Your first impressions will, however, inevitably be about the therapist’s personality.
This is important, as you will need to form a relationship with this person for therapy to be successful. So, while you should stay open to learning more about the therapist and shouldn’t judge on first impressions alone, they are nonetheless significant.
Rapport
Throughout the first session, the therapist will try to form a rapport with you. Good therapists excel at this. Everyone is different, however, and you might take a little longer than others to form rapports. What is important is that you believe you can, with time, form a rapport with the therapist. If you truly believe you cannot, you may consider seeing someone else.
Presenting Problem
There is a reason you’re seeking a therapist in Louisville KY. The therapist will ask you to share your presenting problem. This is the issue that brought you to therapy in the first place. It does not have to be a problem, per se. It may be that you are simply trying to improve areas of your life that are already stable, or want to inject meaning into your days.
You might not be 100% certain of exactly why you want to see a therapist. This is okay. The therapist will help you explore what it is that is pushing you to seek help. They will help you see past the superficial reasons and get to the heart of the matter.
Personal History
To better understand the context for your issues, the therapist will ask you for a personal history. This will entail details of your upbringing, your parents and siblings, significant milestones, and disappointments, losses, and traumas.
Your therapist will assess from these details, in addition to how you share them and what you choose not to share, the root causes of your problems. They will learn from this what sorts of coping mechanisms you’ve developed over the course of your lifetime, and which are helpful or harmful.
There are some skeptics who see therapy as nothing more than a fixation on the past. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Therapy looks at the past to explain the present, and to see how to move forward into the future.
What Happens in Follow Up Sessions?
In your first session, your therapist will work with you on a treatment plan. In the following sessions, you will begin to work on this plan. Your therapist will expect a commitment from you to trust and follow this plan. They may expect you to do some work on your own between sessions. This is particularly true with therapists who use cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) or mindfulness-based techniques.
Throughout the following sessions, you will start feeling relieved of your burdens. Having someone to help you work through them will make them far less intimidating, and you will see a way to resolve some of the issues you never thought you could.
Am I Going to Get Diagnosed with a Mental Illness?
Anyone suffering from a mental illness needs to seek therapy. But not everyone who seeks therapy is suffering from a mental illness. A mental illness is defined by the fact that it makes it almost impossible for you to function normally on a day-to-day basis. However, every one of us has problems that we need help with, even if they’re not disrupting our lives to an unmanageable degree.
You may be diagnosed with a mental illness, in which case you will be on your way to finding relief from a very heavy burden. But you will find therapy tremendously helpful even if you do not have a diagnosable illness.
Whatever your reason for seeking a therapist in Louisville KY, you will find that therapy changes your life for the better.
What Can I Do to Get the Most Out of Online Therapy?
If you’ve been looking for a therapist in Louisville KY, it is important for you to make the most out of therapy. It’s a significant step, and you might be worried about not taking advantage of it.
The good news is that your online therapist will help ensure you make the best use of your time. There are, however, some simple tips you can follow to get the most out of online therapy.
Be Honest
Honesty is very important to the success of therapy. All therapists, whether you see them in person or online, are legally bound by confidentiality. They cannot speak about your problems with anyone else. This is so that you can feel comfortable being honest with them.
We’re not used to being so open and honest, and it might take a while before you’re able to share everything. As long as you’re pushing yourself to share what you can, you will grow more comfortable with speaking to your therapist.
Be Open-Minded
Despite the fact that therapy has been proven to improve happiness and relieve symptoms of mental illness, there are many skeptics. They may see therapy as a crutch and expect you to simply get over your problems yourself.
You may hear those skeptical voices and feel wary of therapy. In order to get the most out of therapy, you need to be somewhat open-minded. Even if the process does not always seem intuitive, you need to trust that you’re seeing a highly-skilled professional who has your best interests at heart.
Ask Questions
That does not mean you shouldn’t ask questions. It is important that your concerns are assuaged. Therapists will always be happy to answer any questions you have. They will help demystify the therapy process. They will explain how they can help you. And they will reassure you that you’re doing the best you can.
Find Your Therapist With ThriveTalk
Finding a therapist in Louisville KY is no longer difficult. With ThriveTalk, you don’t need to be in close proximity to the right therapist for you. You can find the details of all of our therapists on our site and assess which one is right for you.
Setting up an appointment is simple through our online form. Get started with ThriveTalk today and you’ll be ready for your first session in no time.
