Therapists in Minneapolis – 10 Important Questions to Ask When Searching for an Individual Therapist

Searching for a therapist is a significant step towards improving your mental health and overall well-being. However, finding the right therapist who meets your needs can be daunting. Whether you’re considering traditional therapy services or exploring online therapy services, asking the right questions can guide you to the best possible match.

What is Individual Therapy and How Can It Help Me?

Before diving into specific questions, it’s important to understand what is individual therapy. Individual therapy, also known as psychotherapy or counseling, involves a one-on-one session with a trained therapist. Individual therapy can help you address personal and relationship issues, mental health conditions, and emotional challenges. It can help you develop coping strategies, improve communication skills, and gain insights into your thoughts and behaviors. Individual therapy can also help you resolve traumatic incidents from your past, so they no longer interfere with your ability to enjoy life in the present.

Important Questions to Ask When Searching for an Individual Therapist

Here are ten essential questions to ask when you’re searching for a therapist:

1. What are your qualifications and experience?

One of the first questions to ask any potential therapist is about their qualifications and experience. Inquire about their educational background, certifications, and licenses. If you are looking for a specific kind of therapy – for example, therapy to help with a fear of leaving the home – ask your potential therapist if they have done any specific training in agoraphobia treatment. A therapist with a strong educational foundation and condition-specific training can provide more effective and tailored therapy services.

2. What is your approach to therapy?

Therapists often use different approaches or modalities to guide their practice. Common approaches include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Psychodynamic Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), EMDR, and more. Many therapists have training across several treatment modalities, but most have settled on one or two that they tend to use the most. Understanding a therapist’s approach can help you determine if it aligns with your preferences and needs. If you aren’t familiar with any or all of these approaches, ask your therapist about the qualities or structure you may be looking for. For instance, are you looking for a highly-structured, time-limited (e.g., 8-10 sessions) approach that includes weekly “homework”? Or are you looking for an approach that will specifically help you with past trauma?

3. Do you offer online therapy services?

With the increasing popularity of digital solutions, many therapists now offer online therapy services. If you have a busy schedule, live in a remote area, or prefer the comfort of your home, online therapy can be a convenient option. Ask potential therapists if they provide online sessions, and how comfortable they are with conducting therapy online. You also may want to inquire about the platforms they use to ensure they are secure and user-friendly. If the therapist works for a larger organization (such as LynLake Centers for Wellbeing), the telehealth platform they use must be HIPAA-compliant, and is likely determined by the organization, not the therapist.

4. What is your availability?

Consistency and accessibility are key components of effective therapy. Discussing a therapist’s availability can help you determine how often you can schedule sessions and how flexible they are with appointments. Knowing if a therapist has evening or weekend hours can also be crucial if you have a tight or unconventional schedule. It’s important to remember, however, that finding an experienced therapist who works evenings and weekends is no easy task, and sometimes finding the right fit in a therapist means figuring out how to adjust your own schedule to make it work.
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5. Will I be working with an intern therapist?

Working with an intern therapist offers some unique advantages that can enhance your therapy experience. Intern therapists bring fresh, up-to-date knowledge from their recent academic training, ensuring you benefit from the latest therapeutic techniques and research. They also receive weekly supervision from seasoned clinicians, which means you end up getting two therapists’ insight and experience for the price of one. While intern therapists may not be the right fit for every situation, you may want to explore this option a bit more before assuming an intern therapist will not be able to help you – especially if you need someone with immediate availability!  Click here to learn more about the advantages of having an intern therapist.

6. What are your fees and do you accept insurance?

Therapy can be a significant financial commitment, so it’s important to discuss fees upfront. Ask about the cost per session, any sliding fee options, and whether they accept your insurance. Be sure to check with your insurance provider as well, to get the details regarding how your specific health insurance plan covers mental health services. While most therapists at LynLake Centers for Wellbeing accept insurance for individual therapy services, not all therapists accept all plans, so be sure to ask your insurance provider about whether a specific therapist is covered. Understanding the financial aspects can help you plan accordingly and avoid unexpected expenses. If they don’t accept insurance, ask if they can provide receipts for you to submit for potential reimbursement.

7. How do you handle confidentiality?

Confidentiality is a cornerstone of therapy. Ensuring that your sessions are private and your information is protected is essential for building trust. Ask potential therapists about their confidentiality policies, including how they handle session notes and any digital communication. If you’re considering online therapy services, inquire about the measures they take to secure online interactions.

8. What is your policy on emergency situations?

Mental health can sometimes involve crises or urgent situations. Understanding a therapist’s policy on handling emergencies can provide peace of mind. Ask about their policy regarding communications outside the session, whether they offer emergency sessions, and what steps to take if you experience a mental health crisis outside of regular session times.

9. Can you describe your typical client and therapy process?

Understanding a therapist’s typical clientele and process can help you gauge if they’re a good fit for your needs. Ask them to describe the demographic they often work with, such as age groups or specific issues like anxiety, depression, or trauma. Additionally, inquire about the typical process of therapy, including the structure of sessions and how progress is monitored.

10. What if I don’t think you’re the right fit?

An ethical, competent therapist should be comfortable talking with you about what to do if you don’t feel like they are a good match for you. They should also be willing to help you find the right fit if they are not. Some therapists might request that you let them know what doesn’t feel right, in case they can adjust their approach accordingly. In any case, a good therapist should be able to talk with you about how to have this conversation, be open to the possibility that they may not be the right fit, and have a plan for connecting you with someone who might be, so that you are not left to find someone else on your own.

How to find the right therapist

Finding the right therapist is a personal journey. Here are additional tips to help you along the way:

• Trust Your Instincts: Your comfort and trust in a therapist are paramount. If something doesn’t feel right, it’s okay to seek someone else.
• Trial Sessions: Give yourself 2-3 sessions before determining whether the therapist is the right fit. If something doesn’t feel right, move along.
• Specializations: Some therapists specialize in certain areas like grief counseling, trauma, or addiction. Seeking out a specialist can provide more targeted support.
• Cultural Competence: If your cultural background plays a significant role in your life, finding a therapist who understands and respects this can enhance your therapy experience.
• Continual Assessment: Therapy is an ongoing process. Continually assess your progress and comfort level, and don’t hesitate to discuss any concerns with your therapist.

Online Individual Therapy Services: Pros and Cons

With the rise of technology, online therapy services have become a viable option for many. Here’s a brief overview of the pros and cons:
Pros:

• Convenience: Access therapy from anywhere, eliminating travel time.
• Flexibility: Easier to fit into a busy schedule with more available time slots.
• Comfort: Some people find it easier to open up in their own space.

Cons:

• Technical Issues: Connectivity problems can disrupt sessions.
• Privacy Concerns: Ensuring a private space for your session can be challenging.
• Lack of Physical Presence: Some clients may feel the absence of physical presence diminishes the therapeutic experience.
• More distractions: When at home and on a screen, there are more opportunities for distractions and disruptions than when sitting in the therapist’s office.

Research over the decades has shown that the #1 predictor of how much people benefit from individual therapy is how well they connect with their therapist. This means finding a therapist you feel comfortable with is more important than treatment modality, specific credentials, or even the therapist’s years of experience. Ultimately, you will need to trust your gut as to whether a new therapist is the right fit, as there are no hard and fast rules or checklists for determining such things. But asking questions up front can help you feel a greater sense of agency and empowerment when it comes to finding the right individual therapist for you.

Therapists in Minneapolis – LynLake Centers for Wellbeing

Ready to begin your search? LynLake Centers for Wellbeing has over 200 individual, couples and family therapists across 12 locations in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Contact us today so we can help find the right therapist for you.
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Summer is Here! Why Getting Outdoors is Great for your Mental Health

Summer has finally arrived in Minnesota, a welcome change from the long and dreary winter we just endured. The sun is shining, the air is warm, the breeze is fresh, the birds are making baby birds – it’s a glorious time to be outside, seasonal allergies notwithstanding. This is why Minnesotans emerge en masse as soon as the air stops hurting our faces, squinting in the sunlight, our white legs peeking out of the shorts we dug out of a box in the basement. As we soak in the sun’s blessed warmth for the first time in what seems like a bajillion years, many of us begin making a mental list of all the outdoor concerts, festivals, food trucks, sporting events and camping trips we hope to cram into this all-too-brief season. 

On some level, we know that being outdoors is good for our mental health. Why else would we feel so desperate to be outside for every. single. minute. of summer? As it turns out, there is a ton of research out there supporting what we already knew instinctively, which is that being outdoors is about more than simply getting some fresh air into our lungs. Nature has measurable and significant mental health benefits for people of all ages. But why is that and what, exactly, are those benefits? 
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What’s So Great About Outside?

For thousands of years, humans lived exclusively out in nature, co-existing with the plant and animal life around us, depending on it for survival. We learned to use cues in nature (sun, clouds, trees, plants, water, etc) to guide nearly every aspect of daily life and survival – when to wake up, what food sources might be available, what kind of weather we need to prepare for, you get the idea. It stands to reason, then, that we feel better when we are out in nature, since nature is where we historically got all the information we needed to stay alive. 

Clearly, society has changed dramatically over the past few millennia and we no longer depend on nature the way we once did. Our bodies, however, have not changed quite so much. They still yearn to interact with the natural world around us. Think about it: when you find yourself in a forest, or in the middle of a lake, or maybe just in a wooded park, have you ever noticed how your body seems to…shift? Like a head-to-toe exhale. It’s almost as if your body is saying, “Ah, I’m finally back where I belong.”  

This theory – that our bodies evolved to be in tune with nature and are therefore most at peace when in nature – is called the “biophilia hypothesis,” and there are decades of quality research studies to back it up. More recently, perhaps in response to the growing mental health crisis taking place across the globe, researchers have been honing in on the mental health benefits of being outdoors. And their findings are both fascinating and conclusive: we are happier when we go to where the wild things are. 

Ok, so let’s get into some specifics, shall we? What are these supposed mental health benefits of spending time surrounded by greenery, and just how much nature are we talking about in order to get those benefits? Here are just a few of the many ways that heading outdoors can improve your mental health (and your physical health, too!):

Being Outdoors Can Decrease Stress

Our bodies are less stressed out when we get back to our outdoorsy roots. Over 40 experimental studies have provided overwhelming evidence that being out in nature can reduce physiological markers of stress (cortisol levels, blood pressure, heart rate, etc). One study even found that merely looking at pictures of nature can decrease stress! Not only is this likely due to the whole biophilia theory I talked about earlier, but being out in nature also engages our senses in a way that modern life so often fails to do. The soothing sounds of rustling leaves, the calming greens and blues of the plants, trees and water, the scent of fresh air: all of these activate our parasympathetic nervous system, immediately calming us down and reducing the feeling of being stressed out.   

Being Outdoors Can Make You Happier

People who take a walk in nature experience a more positive mood state (translation: they feel happier) than people who go for a walk in the city. At least, that’s what researchers in Palo Alto found when they assigned 60 study participants to one or the other. While both groups reported deriving some benefit from their leisurely stroll, the nature folk reported experiencing more feel-goods than the city folk. Not only that, but the nature walkers reported less anxiety and rumination than their urban counterparts. For those of you who like numbers, it took 50 minutes for the nature walkers to experience these benefits, and they reported exactly zero negative side effects. 

Being Outdoors Can Improve Your Attention Span

I know, this one took me by surprise as well. Who knew that nature could improve your ADHD?! But sure enough, being physically active while out in nature appears to have a pretty profound impact on our executive functioning – things like attention, focus, working memory, and impulse control. And while research also shows that exercising in any setting for 20 minutes or longer can improve your executive functioning, studies that compare walking in urban areas vs. in nature have found that being in nature has more of an impact on executive functioning. Moreover, whereas it takes at least 20 minutes to receive cognitive benefits from exercising indoors, it may take as little as 15 minutes of physical activity out in nature to get those same benefits. 

Being Outdoors Can Improve Physical Health

The body and brain are connected, which means a happy and healthy brain relies in part on a happy and healthy body. As it just so happens, being out in nature has plenty of benefits to our physical health as well. We now have plenty of evidence to show that spending time outdoors leads to improved cardiovascular health, lower blood pressure, and improved immune function. One study even found that having a view of nature outside your hospital window may speed up recovery time after surgery. Behold the healing powers of nature!

How To Bring More Nature Into Your Life

Now that we have established at least some of the mental health benefits that can be found in nature, let’s talk about how you can incorporate this information into your daily life. If you are like most people, you already feel like your days are pretty full, and if you live in an urban jungle, the idea of routinely heading over to a nature-filled oasis might sound improbable at best. Fortunately, there are plenty of urban-friendly options to get at least some of the mental health benefits nature has to offer. Here are some ideas to help you get started:

• Find a local park. If you live in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area, you probably know that we have some of the best parks in the country. While it might require hopping on a bus or bike, or driving a few minutes to get there, the mental health benefits of spending time in one of our many parks are well worth the effort it takes to get there. Consider making this a regular part of your daily or weekly routine. If you have a dog, there are a number of dog parks situated in park-like settings, and your dog will get to enjoy all the benefits animals also get from being in nature!
• Bring nature to you. Can’t get to a park regularly? Bring the park to you. Adding elements of nature into your home or yard also has mental health benefits. Plant a garden or some lilac bushes (or both!). If you already have plenty of nature in your yard, make it a priority to spend time there, having a meal or reading a book, or just sitting quietly. If you don’t have a yard, consider creating a window box of flowers or planter box for your balcony. Adding flower pots and small trees to your indoor space can also provide some of the same benefits that you would get from finding them outside.
  
• Face windows when possible. Since looking at nature may very well provide some of the same benefits as being in nature, find opportunities to position your chair, couch, dining room seat, or exercise equipment in front of a window that looks out into a green space. If you go to a gym that has windows, try looking out of the window while you exercise, noticing the nature happening on the other side of the glass. 
• Go virtual. If you absolutely cannot access nature in the real world, research suggests that you can get some of the same mental health benefits by looking at and listening to nature on your phone, computer or television. You may even get more benefits by engaging with virtual nature using virtual reality goggles. Not sure where to find good-quality videos of nature? I’ve been listening to the ocean segments of this 8-hour-long video while writing this blog post, and I have to say, I’m feeling quite relaxed. Is it the same as being at the ocean? No. But it’s not bad.

It’s difficult to overstate the importance of taking care of your mental and physical health right now, even as it may seem more difficult than ever to do so. The good news is that with the arrival of summer, one of the most enjoyable ways to feel better immediately may be only minutes away. 

Feeling a little overwhelmed at the prospect of spending more time outdoors? Talk with your therapist about creating a plan for addressing whatever obstacles are in your path, to see if there are ways you can incorporate nature into your daily life. Don’t have a therapist but think you might benefit from having one? Contact us today to begin your journey to better mental health. 
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