Please recommend a really amazing therapist i

[Anonymous]

If you have experience with a truly amazing, life changing therapist, can you please recommend? I am in a very dark period in my life and really need the help of a wonderful therapist. Unfortunately, the past 3 therapists I have had over the course of my life have all been terrible (ethical violations, one even lost her license while I was her patient for inappropriate conduct with another patient). I know that in every industry there are those that are great at their job and those that are less so, but my past experience with therapists has led me to feel like finding a good one is like searching for a needle in a haystack.

I am willing to pay out out of pocket for someone great. DC or NoVa preferred but I realize I can’t be too choosy here. Thank you for any recommendations.

[Anonymous]

OP, I'm a therapist and here's what I recommend to people looking for a new therapist:

Step 1:
Do you know anyone who has a therapist they like? If so ask them to get recs from their therapist for you.

OR
Go to Psychology Today, read through profiles and find a couple of people whose style you like.

Step 2:
Interview at least three people. They should offer a free intro call (20 min-ish). Given your bad experiences, you might even want to pay for a full session with a couple different people. Tell them what didn't work in the past and ask them how they would prevent/address any issues.

Good luck! I know how hard it is to find a great therapist!

[Anonymous]

Mary LaHood - no insurance but a very reasonable rate. Virtual sessions. She did change my life and helped me process a terrible and life changing event.

Don’t know your situation, OP, but Mary is best for women dealing with motherhood challenges (terrible birth, kids born with medical diagnosis etc).

I know it’s very hard to find a good therapist - good luck!

[Anonymous]

Thank you for this recommendation.

[Anonymous]

Any other specific recommendations? My main issue is processing the trauma of a really bad marriage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I'm a therapist and here's what I recommend to people looking for a new therapist:

Step 1:
Do you know anyone who has a therapist they like? If so ask them to get recs from their therapist for you.

OR
Go to Psychology Today, read through profiles and find a couple of people whose style you like.

Step 2:
Interview at least three people. They should offer a free intro call (20 min-ish). Given your bad experiences, you might even want to pay for a full session with a couple different people. Tell them what didn't work in the past and ask them how they would prevent/address any issues.

Good luck! I know how hard it is to find a great therapist!

This.

OP where were you finding these sketch therapists before?

[Anonymous]

Sadly they all came highly recommended

[Anonymous]

Tanya Clausen, LCSW helped me successfully navigate a low period in my life and marriage, identify the reasons why, and compassionately supported me as I rebuilt my way out. Now three years later I no longer need our calls, but could never have done it without her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mary LaHood - no insurance but a very reasonable rate. Virtual sessions. She did change my life and helped me process a terrible and life changing event.

Don’t know your situation, OP, but Mary is best for women dealing with motherhood challenges (terrible birth, kids born with medical diagnosis etc).

I know it’s very hard to find a good therapist - good luck!

No insurance? Why? This feels like a huge red flag, to be honest. And virtual sessions only? I mean, I’m glad it helped, I guess, but what are her qualifications? Why can’t she get insurance companies to accept her?

[Anonymous]

Margaret Lefbom at Sunstone in Falls Church. She's even led group therapy for folks going through divorce.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mary LaHood - no insurance but a very reasonable rate. Virtual sessions. She did change my life and helped me process a terrible and life changing event.

Don’t know your situation, OP, but Mary is best for women dealing with motherhood challenges (terrible birth, kids born with medical diagnosis etc).

I know it’s very hard to find a good therapist - good luck!

No insurance? Why? This feels like a huge red flag, to be honest. And virtual sessions only? I mean, I’m glad it helped, I guess, but what are her qualifications? Why can’t she get insurance companies to accept her?

Most top therapists don't take insurance. Many psychiatrists don't either. It's not that the insurance won't "accept" them, it's that they are successful enough that they don't need to mess with the paperwork nightmare and underpayment of insurance in order to have enough clients. DP

[Anonymous]

Christine Fenton (in MD), virtual therapy. Idk if this lines up with your needs but I want to share for anyone who might benefit.

EMDR was incredibly helpful for traumatic experiences and family issues, in addition to ADHD that was formerly unmanageable. Currently focusing on the ADHD part. I’m barely functioning at home even though I excel at work and my emotions are finally stable.

I was a little skeptical about virtual therapy at first. but it gave me space to figure out what I was thinking about without being distracted by being in a novel environment. It also gave her visual evidence of what I had trouble with at home and why, which helped us come up with more effective strategies.

Previously tried CBT with her and other therapists but it doesn’t work for me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mary LaHood - no insurance but a very reasonable rate. Virtual sessions. She did change my life and helped me process a terrible and life changing event.

Don’t know your situation, OP, but Mary is best for women dealing with motherhood challenges (terrible birth, kids born with medical diagnosis etc).

I know it’s very hard to find a good therapist - good luck!

No insurance? Why? This feels like a huge red flag, to be honest. And virtual sessions only? I mean, I’m glad it helped, I guess, but what are her qualifications? Why can’t she get insurance companies to accept her?

Are you kidding?

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thank you SO MUCH to the PPs who provided specific names of therapists. Keep the recs coming, I am hopeful I may find someone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I'm a therapist and here's what I recommend to people looking for a new therapist:

Step 1:
Do you know anyone who has a therapist they like? If so ask them to get recs from their therapist for you.

OR
Go to Psychology Today, read through profiles and find a couple of people whose style you like.

Step 2:
Interview at least three people. They should offer a free intro call (20 min-ish). Given your bad experiences, you might even want to pay for a full session with a couple different people. Tell them what didn't work in the past and ask them how they would prevent/address any issues.

Good luck! I know how hard it is to find a great therapist!

I am not a therapist, but I am someone who tried therapist pp's advice.
1. My friends said tgey would ask their therapists for recs (I asked 3 friends) none of them followed through. Their therapy appts are for them and my request is small potatoes.
2 I emailed and followed up with calls on PT to 15! therapists and not one response.

I ended up returning to my last online therapist who wasn't great. This time, though, I am making a stronger effort to come prepared and to stay focused. So far so good. Instead of searching for a unicorn, call the patient coordinators at 3 practices which are near your home or work and which take your insurance. Tell them what you want to work on and let them match you. Good luck!