RESOURCES

Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: If you are acutely suicidal or homicidal, or facing any type of mental health struggle including alcohol or drug use concerns, call 988, text 741-741 or visit 988lifeline.org/ Across the USA, this number has been designated as a 24 hour behavioral health crisis hotline. The service is free and available 24/7/365.

Domestic Abuse Crisis: If you are being controlled, forced to do things you don’t want to do, physically, sexually or emotionally harmed, or cut off from others in a family relationship, call the National Domestic Abuse Hotline 1-800-799-7233.

Human Trafficking: If you are being taken places and forced to do things you don’t want to do, call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.

Counseling services: If you are not in a suicide or homicide crisis, but you are having thoughts or plans about engaging in these activities, or if you are suffering from an eating disorder, severe depression, substance abuse or other complicated mental health problem, you would likely benefit from counseling services. To get the right therapist, consider these options:

1. Ask your general practice doctor for recommendations to therapists. GP doctors are often placed in the position of giving counseling referrals. Therefore, they usually know about the local counselors and know you well enough to hopefully give a recommendation for someone who might be able to help with your specific problems.
2. Ask friends, family or acquaintances. If you heard of someone who liked their counselor, ask who they saw and then call the counselor for a consultation or appointment.
3. Many counselors advertise online or in a search engine, such as Psychology Today. Conduct a Google Search for people specializing in the problems you face. Reach out to those counselors.
4. You can check the website for your insurance to find in-network providers. If you want to use your insurance for counseling, it may be wise to start there. Many insurance carriers will list in-network providers on their website. You can then Google or visit the websites for therapists who seem interesting to find out more about them.
5. You can look for therapists certified in a particular treatment area by looking up the website for the treatment and then searching for a tab that gives, “providers in your area.”
6. If you are a student, most schools have a counselor or counseling center that you may be able to access at a reduced rate or for free.
7. If you do not have enough money for counseling, most regions have free counseling available within either a public health or educational system. Organizations that might have contact information for free counseling are public libraries, police departments or public health agencies.

Often you may have to call several counselors in order to talk with someone who has openings and with whom you feel comfortable. Pay close attention to your reactions around the counselor. If they make you feel uncomfortable, notice that response and maybe try another provider. Keep looking until you find someone with whom you feel comfortable and think you might be able to trust in time.