Mental health therapists are an important part of any bereavement resource list, and Haven Certified Bereavement Doulas are required to find a few as part of their certification process. Here are six things you should think about when finding therapists to add to your list.
- Where are they licensed? Therapists are often licensed to practice in particular states or countries and may not be available to serve clients in other areas. Be sure to consider this, especially if you live near a border! (For example, I live in Missouri just ten minutes from Illinois, so it helps my local clients to have options of licensed therapists in either or both states.)
- What payment options do they have? Perhaps they take insurance; it would be good to know which insurance plans they typically take. Maybe they are private pay only; that’s important to communicate to your clients. It might be that they are open to bartering or forms of delayed payment; try to ascertain as much of that information as you can when adding them to your resource list.
- Do they specialize in perinatal loss or in grief more broadly? It’s rare to find a therapist (let alone therapists, plural) who specialize specifically in perinatal loss. It’s amazing if you can find options. But, keep in mind that therapists who specialize in grief, body image, relationships, and family dynamics may all be helpful to your future clients. Doing a bit of digging to find someone who really cares about the challenge your client is facing can help set up a successful match.
- What is their background? Some clients will feel more comfortable with therapists who have a particular background — for example, a woman as opposed to a man, or a person of color compared to a white person, etc. Clients may even look for therapists who share their religious perspective, take a certain approach to therapy, or have had certain experiences (such as perinatal loss). Having diversity in what kinds of therapists are represented on your resource list can help your client find a therapist they are most likely to be comfortable with.
- Are they taking clients? Not all therapists have availability all the time! It can help to check periodically with the folks on your list and see if they are at or below capacity. That way, you get your clients to people who can actually support them rather than people who just keep saying that they’re fully booked.
- When or how are they taking appointments? Some people really want to see their therapist in person, while others prefer the flexibility of telehealth. Similarly, some folks will only be available outside of traditional business hours, while others may find a session between 9am and 5pm to be most convenient. Having therapists with multiple options on your list will be helpful in ensuring your client can actually create a sustainable practice of attending therapy appointments.
Do you have any other recommendations for what to consider when adding mental health therapists to your bereavement resource list? If so, comment below!
