seeking therapy

How To Seek Help for Mental Illness

Are you experiencing some challenges with your mental health? Seeking therapy is an effective and safe way to help keep your mind healthy. 

If you need counseling in Tucson, Arizona, why not reach out to In Balance Counseling? We’re standing by to help with highly trained and compassionate mental health professionals.

Keep reading to discover what to consider when you want to prioritize your mental health.

The Types of Mental Illness Treatment Providers From Which You Could Receive Help

If you want all the benefits of counseling, you need to understand who you can turn to. So, when finding a therapist or another type of mental illness treatment provider, consider the following:

  • Primary care doctors: General practitioners are what many people first think of when they hear the word ‘doctor.’ They’re capable of treating a wide variety of illnesses and can prescribe medicine for anxiety and depression.
  • Physician assistants: While some PAs hold doctoral degrees, many do not. However, they’re still qualified to treat physical and mental illnesses under a doctor’s supervision.
  • Nurse practitioners: These registered nurses obtain extra training. If they specialize in mental health, they can provide help to patients experiencing a mental health crisis.
  • Psychiatrists: As full medical doctors, psychiatrists specialize in mental health. Not only can they provide prescriptions for treatment, but they’re also qualified in talking therapy to help patients discover the emotional roots of their problems.
  • Psychologists: Because they’re not medical doctors, psychologists cannot prescribe medication. However, they still often obtain doctoral degrees in psychology and specialize in multiple forms of therapy.
  • Social workers: Do you need therapy in the context of social services? Social workers handle family trauma, parental abuse, the death of a parent, and more.
  • Psychiatric nurse specialists: These registered nurses don’t obtain the same level of training as a nurse practitioner. However, they specialize in mental illness and can provide better treatment than a generalized nurse.

What to Consider Before Seeking Treatment for Mental Health

If you’re seeking therapy, consider the following aspects before settling on someone to help you:

  • Your needs. Do you want a therapist with a specific specialty or beliefs? It’s okay to require a certain gender, culture, or religion that you identify with.
  • Accessibility. If you can’t or won’t visit a therapist in person, look for virtual options via phone or video conferencing. Many providers offer these alternatives.
  • Insurance. Does your insurance provide coverage for therapy? If so, which providers do they cover?
  • Affordability. If you don’t have adequate insurance, look for options you can afford. Look into providers with sliding scales based on income.
  • Reputation. Look at potential providers’ reviews to ascertain their effectiveness or style.

Once you know what you want, you can also reach out to friends and family, insurance providers, or general practitioners to find the treatment provider you need.

Reach Out to In Balance Counseling for Help

When you’re seeking therapy, you deserve compassionate and effective treatment that keeps your needs and daily life at the forefront. Whether you need therapy for anxiety, depression, or PTSD, In Balance Counseling can help. To book an appointment, call 520-722-9631.