Takeaway: Choosing to start therapy is a decision that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Finding the right therapist for your unique needs and goals is important to help you get the most out of your treatment. But with so many options, finding the best therapist for you can be overwhelming. Here, we break down how to explore your options for therapy in Santa Clara, CA to help you make an informed decision.
Reading this article will be a helpful guide in your mission to find a therapist in Santa Clara. We will walk you through some research on why therapy is important, where to begin, provide resources, review some of the most widely-used therapy approaches, share what to look for in a therapist, and tips on how to approach an introductory call with licensed therapists. We will also share about the services we offer at Cura Integrative Health, based in Santa Clara, and how you can reach out to us to find out more.
Everything you need to know about finding the best Santa Clara therapist for you
So you’re seeking therapy. You’ve given it some thought and maybe done some online research, or possibly even been looking for several years. Perhaps you feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of types of therapy available to you, or you’ve heard your neighbor recommend CBT, but also have a friend who raves about DBT. Maybe you’ve even reached out to a therapist, but they didn’t get back to you, were told they didn’t have any availability, or you didn’t feel like it was a good fit for various reasons.
Feeling anxiety or don’t even know where to begin on your journey with finding licensed marriage and family therapists in Santa Clara? We get it – with so many options, types of therapy, and taking the risk to trust a stranger – how do you know where to even start or what you should be looking for?
Here are some helpful ways to approach the process of finding therapy in Santa Clara so you can meet your mental health goals and live a happy and fulfilling life. After reviewing this information, we hope that you can feel more confident and clear about the kind of therapy you end up choosing and the therapist you choose to support you.
Why we recommend working with a mental health professional in Santa Clara
It’s a big decision to begin therapy and one that deserves some thought and intention. At Cura Integrative Health, we strongly believe in the benefits of choosing to take the leap to begin the process of therapy to address things like relationship issues, anxiety, depression, life transitions, eating disorders, mood disorders, family conflict, to increase self-compassion, and other mental health issues.
Science happens to agree! Here are a few of the research-backed benefits (and ones we see all of the time in our offices) to engaging with therapy services and support.
Long Term Healing
We live in a world that often pushes instantaneous outcomes and changes when it comes to those seeking personal growth or healing. Quick fixes and the promise of instant or overnight results can often lead to disappointment, shame, and despair. This cycle keeps us stuck and can make us feel as if there’s something wrong with us.
Research has shown that therapy is effective in reducing mental and behavioral health issues long-term, in addition to reducing negative impacts of physical health issues.
The research also shows that ongoing therapy tends to lessen the need for medication and other mental health services in the future. Medication is useful, powerful and has the potential to be incredibly beneficial, but can sometimes be over-prescribed, create other unwanted side effects, or even be misused. Choosing to engage in therapy has been shown to help people rely less on medication on a long-term basis.
Sometimes, the present-day difficulties and symptoms that push us to begin therapy are connected to deeper roots within us. We see time and time again in our offices that the implementation of evidence-based therapies help support clients get to the these roots and that addressing the roots and not only the symptoms helps people find both symptom and long-term relief.
Quality of Life and Symptom Reduction
Many people come to therapy because they are experiencing physiological symptoms or emotional challenges that are causing them distress and hope that therapy can provide support. Sometimes these symptoms are new and feel alarming, other times they have impacting us for a long period of time.
Evidence shows that many people report a better quality of life after participating in therapy. People often experience a decrease in physiological symptoms, improved social skills, less interpersonal distress, and better functioning in important roles.
We get to see many of our clients create more meaningful relationships in life, be better able to express their needs, report less distressing, unwanted physiological symptoms through the process of therapy, and generally live a happier life.
Better Sleep
Have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep? Frequent nightmares? Perhaps you get enough hours of sleep, but still waking up feeling depleted.
Research has shown that certain kinds of therapy can support people in getting more quality sleep. Therapy can help work with you around both the psychological and emotional stressors that contribute to sleep feeling difficult or intimidating, as well as provide information and tools to help work with your nervous system and body to help you feel safer and relaxed to promote good, high-quality sleep.
Through the work done in therapy, we often hear that clients feel like they have more education and awareness about sleep, learn skills to manage sleep, and often share that they generally get better sleep and have a significant reduction in anxiety about sleep.
Where to look for therapy
It can certainly be an overwhelming journey to take the first step and figure out where to begin looking for therapy services. Our experience has shown us that these are a few good ways to start.
Your Own Network
If you feel comfortable sharing that you’re looking to begin therapy and find a safe place, we recommend asking friends and family for referrals. Think about who you trust in your life, or reach out to someone who has talked about their own therapy experience with you.
It can sometimes feel more comfortable to get the name of a professional or get introduced to an organization where someone you know and trust in your personal life has vouched for them. Even if you don’t end up seeing the same therapist for various reasons, you can ask them for referrals within their network to help get you started.
Online Directory Listings
Many therapists advertise themselves on online directory listings specifically for therapists or other mental health providers. A popular online directory listing for therapists is Psychology Today. This national directory has a number of different filters you can use to narrow your search and find the best therapist for you and your particular concerns.
You can also try searching for local directories within your immediate area. Search for your location and some keywords such as therapists, therapy, counseling, etc. and see if there is any local list of therapists in your immediate area.
Insurance
Many therapists are out of network providers, which means that they don’t accept insurance directly and you will pay out of pocket. However, some therapists do accept certain insurance and will be able to tell you which insurance providers they accept.
If you are wanting to go through your insurance provider for therapy, or simply want to get some clarification on what the reimbursement process looks like, you can call your insurance provider and they should be able to give you access to lists of therapists in your area who accept your insurance. Some insurance providers also have ways to search within your online account for therapists in your area who accept your insurance.
Community Resources
If you find a local or national organization that is centered around topics or concerns that you resonate with, you can reach out to them directly to ask if they have any recommended therapists who specialize in those topics.
If you reach out to a national organization, be sure to share what state you are located in as each state has it’s own laws and therapists must be licensed in the state you are located in to be able to provide treatment to you.
Choosing the type of therapy you need
Ever looked into therapy previously only to be overwhelmed and confused by all of the different options? You’re not alone! This is a common experience and we’re here to help provide some additional information on types of individual therapy you might come across.
Below is some brief information therapy approaches you might see. This is not an exhaustive list, but can serve as a helpful guide to commonly used approaches.
Cura Integrative Health, based in Santa Clara, offers all of these services and more. Though we provide all of these services, our clinicians provide tailored recommendations to each client about what would be the most beneficial and effective approach based on their specific concerns.
Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
A depth-oriented approach that helps you integrate your unconscious and bodily experiences into the present that help most people feel more whole and balanced with increased insight and awareness.
If you are interested in long-lasting change in both your relationships with others and yourself, or if you have ever experienced any abuse and/or neglect, you might benefit from this long-term therapy that gently approaches the depths of your experiences.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy
A type of therapy that helps you increase your ability to navigate stress, create new, healthy emotional habits, manage difficult feelings, improve your communication with others.
If you struggle with impulsivity, feel misunderstood, continually find yourself in conflict with others, experience relationship issues, or engage in self-harm or destructive behaviors, you could likely benefit from this therapy approach that involves both education, skill-training, and exercises that promote emotional and physical regulation.
Sensorimotor Psychotherapy
A therapy approach that focuses on how the body responds to stress and finds ways to both release stress and re-train your body to better manage and react to stress.
If you often feel distressed by physical symptoms such as feeling fidgety, jumpy, anxiety, extreme tiredness or avoid certain experiences because of these symptoms, this kind of therapy might be able to help you experience your body differently and manage stress better.
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction
This type of therapy is part experiential, part educational. This approach helps you to feel more present and aware while working to reduce symptoms of stress, depression, and anxiety.
If you are experiencing depression, anxiety, another mood disorder, tiredness, or simply feel that you are ‘elsewhere’ a lot of the time and want to show up for your life differently, this therapy could potentially help you be more present and work through unwanted symptoms.
Internal Family Systems
Helps you to bring together different parts of yourself to have a more cohesive mental and emotional system which can lead to greater healing.
If feelings of depression, feeling isolated, or shame are relatable to you, this approach has been shown to be beneficial in finding relief and clarity.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Addresses behaviors and thought patterns that are no longer serving you to help you achieve better functioning. This type of therapy is most effective when combined with other approaches.
If recurring thoughts and behaviors are still distressing you after participating in depth-oriented therapies, integrating this kind of therapy can help you find reprieve.
Eating Disorder Treatment
There are many different kinds of eating disorders and associated treatments. Certain diagnoses and their severity can drastically impact our ability to function and require ongoing medical care and interventions. Other kinds of eating disorders may not require us to be hospitalized, but can create relationship issues, keep us isolated or stuck, increase anxiety and depression, and create feelings of shame and negativity towards ourselves.
People who are greatly concerned with weight, body image, food, and/or exercise could benefit from support. Education, guidance, and a blend of different therapy approaches can be useful for the treatment of these disorders.
Deciding which Santa Clara therapist is right for you
So you know more about what kind of therapy might be right for you, now you just need to figure out what therapist in Santa Clara you want to have beside you to help you achieve your goals.
Therapy has been shown to be the most effective when there is a good fit with the therapist and the client. What works for one person may not work for another and it can take some time to know if it feels like a good fit for the long-term. Here are some important factors to think through and consider when looking for a therapist in the beginning stages.
Logistics
Before scheduling a first session, decide if you are looking for in person services in Santa Clara or virtual, individual therapy. Some therapists only support virtual therapy, some only in person therapy, while others offer a combination of the two.
Deciding on a budget for therapy can be a tool to help you narrow your search and make a decision about what therapist will be best for you. You can also consider length of therapy – do you have the budget for a few sessions or do you have the budget for longer-term therapy?
If your health insurance covers therapy or provides any kind of reimbursement, decide whether you still want to pay for therapy out of pocket or go through health insurance. If you choose to go through health insurance, you can talk to the therapist you end up seeing about what that process looks like and they can help support you with your questions.
Consider your availability and when you can meet for counseling services. Do you only have evening availability or are you more flexible during the day? If you are looking for in person therapy, you should also consider how far you are willing to commute and how traffic might impact the drive depending on the time of day you end up choosing.
Specialties
Decide if you are looking for a therapist who specializes in something, such as couple’s counseling or substance abuse, or if you are looking for someone who can cover a number of different topics with you, such as general family issues young adults might encounter. Some therapists specialize in one or a few things, while others have more broad experience and training and can cover ground with you in many different areas. Think through if it’s important to you to target one specific concern, or if you want to cover many concerns.
Credentials
There are different kinds of licensed mental health professionals available to you. Psychologist, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists, and Licensed Clinical Social Workers can all provide therapy. They differ in terms of level of education and training. Psychologists are able to conduct research in addition to providing therapy, while Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists and Licensed Clinical Social Workers solely provide therapy and other related services.
Gut Reaction
How do you feel looking at this person’s profile or hearing about them? How do they describe the work they do and how they see therapy? Do you feel like their description resonates with you and makes you want to know more or does something about not fit what you’re looking for? Check in with yourself along the way and pay attention to your thoughts and feelings.
What to ask about in your initial consultation with a therapist in Santa Clara
It’s normal to feel nervous and unsure of what to ask once you schedule a consultation call with a prospective therapist. Here is a helpful guide of some questions you can ask to see if they might be a good fit for your criteria.
Ask About Their Practice and Experience
You can ask about what their practice looks like and what kinds of clients they typically support. Ask about their experience working with your particular type of concerns and what kind of treatment plan they provide.
Approach and Style
Ask questions about what kinds of therapies they utilize and how they support concerns like yours. You can also inquire about their personal style, such as whether they are more direct with clients, how they ask questions, and even a few adjectives to describe themselves as a therapist.
Practice Setup
Make sure to get information about their availability, their fees, whether they offer sliding scale, the reimbursement process (if applicable), their office location, and whether they offer in person or virtual appointments in Santa Clara.
Santa Clara counseling services we offer
Our practice, Cura Integrative Health, is an integrative, private practice clinic with multiple locations in Silicon Valley that is rooted in the belief that an integrative approach to emotional, mental, and physical well-being is not only possible, but needed. We integrate psychotherapy and neuroscience-backed interventions to help our clients heal and live more balanced lives.
Being human is a hard job sometimes. We believe we have all experienced ongoing stress and trauma and value a caring approach that takes this into account to help you heal and live a fuller, more balanced life.
We know how hard it can be searching for support in so many different places. At Cura Integrative Health, we value having a multitude of treatment options under one roof to best help you seek the answers to the questions you’ve been asking when it comes to your mental health.
As licensed therapists, we utilize evidence-based psychotherapies, as well as neurofeedback and biofeedback, in order to best serve the client. Through our assessment process, we determine what services might be the best care for you and provide a treatment plan. We also value being flexible and adaptable and strive to create a collaborative process and use feedback from our clients in order to get the best outcomes.
We are currently accepting new clients, so if any of this sounds like a good fit to you, or if you are simply curious, we encourage you to reach out and schedule a brief 15 minute consultation call with us to see how we might be able to help and get you connected to our services.
Cura integrative Health is not a crisis center. If you are in need of crisis support, immediate help, or having a psychiatric emergency, please don’t wait to schedule a session. Call 911 or go to your local emergency room for immediate help.