If you have not seeked psychological assistance before or have just moved to a new location, trying to locate and select the right kind of help may seem a daunting task at first. In our previous article, we explored the differences between the various mental health professions to help you better understand who you should approach for your issues. In this short article, we will explore the different avenues where information about the Mental Health providers can be found.
The following are recommended resources that will help you locate and select a mental health provider:
- A common way to find a therapist is to ask a trusted friend if they know of any mental health providers in your locality. It might turn out that they can recommend someone based on their own experience. In fact it might be that your friend has herself or himself had assistance from a mental health professional, and would be happy to discuss their experience with you and provide details you might want to know about.
- If you have just moved to a new city or country, check if there is a local professional society e.g. Singapore Psychological Society, and ask for telephone number etc of a few psychologists registered with them. This way of finding a therapist has the advantage that such “registered” mental health workers have to have maintained certain standards of professional training and behaviour to become registered.
- Carry out an online search (e.g. using Google) using key words such as the name of the type of professional you are seeking (e.g. psychologist, psychiatrists, counsellors, social worker) and the name of your city, town, or country (e.g. Japan, Singapore, Australia).
- Use dedicated online therapist directories such as Psychology Matters Asia or Good Therapy.org.
- Ask your general practice physician or religious leader if they know of any mental health professionals in your particular community.
- Check if there is a governmental department concerned with mental health problems e.g. a Social welfare social services, department of ministry of health, “Ministry of Community Affairs”, department of education, etc.
- Telephone or visit your local public school to inquire if they know of any services for children with mental health problems or developmental disabilities e.g. autism.
- Look in the telephone book for listings under health professionals e.g. for psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers or counsellors.
- Contact organizations for special conditions e.g. societies for schizophrenia or Down Syndrome. They sometimes have lists of professionals who specialize in their particular concern.
- Check for advertisements by clinics or individual therapists in the health section of a newspaper or in various community newsletters. For expats they may find such advertisements in special magazines for their particular nationality. This has the advantage you may be able to find a therapist familiar with your culture.
Psychology Matters Asia Editor