May: Mental Health Awareness Month
The month of May is recognized as Mental Health Awareness month, focusing on the importance of well-being, barriers and challenges those with mental health conditions face, continuing to destigmatize these barriers while providing more understanding, support, and access to resources.
Although there has been tremendous growth in awareness and acceptance of mental health importance and well-being, some still question whether or not they can benefit from mental health services or, an even more overwhelming question of “where to start?”
Questions for you to consider:
What is it that I am seeking support for?
Having a description of what you are seeking to address or gain from mental health services not only is an action where you can take a first step, but can also serve as a guideline to additional questions you may have for mental health providers and “weed out” services that aren’t necessary for you. For example, if you decide to seek support for anxiety or depression, you want to find a provider with those specializations.
What am I looking for in a therapist? Or what am I hoping to gain or receive from seeking support?
The therapeutic relationship is paramount to outcomes like decreased symptoms. Perhaps the important factor is that you feel safe, comfortable, and connected to a provider. As a prospective client, know that you also have the right to ask questions and can ask for a pre- treatment consultation to learn more about a provider’s approach, what a typical session looks like with them, or any other questions about the process.
A good provider will also consider if they are the right fit for you and make recommendations of services or other providers who may fit your needs the best.
What type of service or approach would most benefit me?
Two things to consider: the provider’s background and area(s) of expertise and type of service. Providers differ in their approaches, educational background, and specialty areas (LPC, LMFT, LCSW, Life Coach, Psychiatrist, Nutritionist, etc.). In any of the services listed, also know it is appropriate to request inter-professional collaboration amongst providers – For example, having your individual therapist collaborate with your psychiatrist for continuity of care in your treatment process.
PFTG offers individual, couples, family, and child therapy. Here is more about each of these services, plus psychiatry which we work with often:
Individual therapy - talk therapy where you meet with the therapist for 50 or 90 minutes alone, and work on your therapy goals using modalities like EMDR, CBT, DBT
Couples therapy - for you and your partner (dating, married, poly, LGBTQIA+, etc) where you meet together with the therapist for 50 or 90 minutes and work on goals such as communication, conflict resolution, sex and intimacy, and parenting
Family therapy - you and part/all of your family may meet to resolve conflict, communicate better, or work on parent-child or sibling relationships.
Child therapy - the child is the client, but the parents are involved in learning how best to work on emotional and behavioral support for the child
Psychiatry - PFTG has a network of psychiatrists that we refer to for diagnostic testing and medication management for diagnoses like ADHD, Bipolar Disorder, and Depression
Areas PFTG can support with:
People First Therapy Group can be of support for you in getting started. Fill out this form to speak with an intake coordinator, who can support you in identifying the areas you seek to address, provide information regarding the practice and clinicians available, and support you in finding the right service and provider. Or, you can reach out to the specific therapist you want to work with directly by looking at our therapist bios page here.
People First Therapy Group provides both telehealth and in-person services for individuals, couples, families, and children. Although our agency does not provide psychiatric services at this time, we can provide recommendations.
Presenting concerns and areas clinicians on our team specialize in working with include (but are not limited to): ADD/ADHD, Anxiety, Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Sobriety/Recovery, Couples/Marriage Counseling, Premarital therapy, LGBTQIA+ experience, Nonmonogamy, Grief, Caregiver support, Trauma, Sexual Abuse, Family Therapy, Neurodiversity, Child Therapy, & more!
If you care about Mental Health, please consider donating to our nonprofit, which pays for someone else’s therapy who cannot afford it. Donate here.
