Anxiety Treatment – How to Shop for a Therapist to Treat Your Anxiety
Shop around! If you have a friend who has sought therapy, ask him/her for a referral. Even if your friend’s therapist isn’t available, you can ask the therapist for a recommendation to another therapist. You can also check out the phone book or online (under “psychologists”, “counselors” or “mental health”) for therapists in your area.
Ask about cognitive-behavioral therapy. Look for a therapist who does “cognitive-behavioral” therapy (CBT). There are many types of therapy, but CBT has been shown to have very good results for the treatment of anxiety, and the results of CBT treatment tend to be longer term than the use of medication alone. CBT helps you to identify and change the thoughts and behaviors that cause you to feel anxious, and it also typically contains an element called “exposure” that helps you to systematically cope with the sources of your anxiety.
