Therapist/counselor in the slope...

Do any of you have experience or can you recommend a therapist where their primary focus is relationships? I would like to improve myself and the way I interact in relationships. I am not sure if a therapist is even right. Any advice?!

i know an amazing woman who specializes, among other things, as a "life coach". she's amazing. (however, not cheap)

if you or anyone is interested, PM me.

PM obamanut as well.

You know, just as important as a therapist may be a self help group for whatever issue you are facing.

apple pants wrote: You know, just as important as a therapist may be a self help group for whatever issue you are facing.

which groups are you in?

(veruca - no disrespect to you)

Don't think a self-help group is what I need. I was looking for more one on one guidance.

assuming you have health insurance, I would do the following

1. Go to a website where you can search a bunch of private practioners, such as http://therapists.psychologytoday.com/rms/prof_search.php

2. Read their ads, and pick a few you think you'd be willing to see.

3. Look at your insurance provider's online list of approved providers. See if any of the ones you like are on the list.... (don't bother with the "printed lists of providers who accept your insurance", providers drop out of and join insurance plans far too often for the books to be of any use).

P.S. If you have crappy insurance, medicaid, or no insurance and little $, you'll likely need to go to an agency based clinic.
Here's where to start... http://bi.omh.state.ny.us/bridges/index

Good work whynot

let's just say these resources were close at hand.

Thank you much for the legwork Whynot. I appreciate it.

Flexi,

I belong to two self help organizations, but I hope you understand that I do not wish to share that info here. The self help world is small, as is Park Slope.

At this point I basically volunteer to help others face what I have faced, but I spent about 5 years attending self help meetings several times a month.

I don't know of any greater experts then people who have faced whatever issue is being discussed. While I believe in therapy, I know that there is a lot of research detailing the benefits of self help. In fact, many therapists believe that self help must be included in any therapy program.

I think that what you're referring to is as good a reason as anything when looking for a therapist. Having an open mind and desire and drive to change is going to make anything possible. Often, what people say is the reason they seek therapy when they walk through the door turns out to be the jumping-off point for a lot of things. If you're interested, I say go for it.

I can recommend someone in private practice but, really, the person who's going to know who the best match is for them, as a therapist, is you. So pick up some of those cards folks in private practice leave at coffee shops, give them a call, etc.

No, I'm not in private practice myself.