Navigating Mental Health

Taking care of you mental health is incredibly important to your success in life, at work, at home, and in your relationships.

If you are looking for support with your mental health there are many options.

We know, it can feel overwhelming or like you are lost at first and don't know where to even start.

Let's see if we can help you find the right fit.

To help narrow down the options, let's answer some questions.

1.) Are you looking to have conversations with a licensed professional, certified coach, clergy, or peer?

Not all mental health support is done with a Licensed Therapist or Psychiatrist. Many individuals find support from peers, Peer Specialists, Certified Coaches, or Clergy to be the best fit for their needs. Each tier of these supports come with a different level of education and experience to provide support. Support from peers is the lowest level of education and experience as this is not a credentialed professional but generally a friend, co-worker, or someone that you know personally. For many people this is sufficient in being able to have their pains witnessed and processed. These conversations tend to be very casual and can take place anywhere.

Of note, the peer category also includes sponsors from groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous (NA), though these individuals have lived experience with struggles correlated to the group they are from, it is not a state licensed or credentialed position. These individuals may or may not also have another credential in their professional life, but this role is usually not a part of that credential. These conversations are a bit more structured and focused than your typical peer conversation and can take place most anywhere.

Credentialed professionals:

Certified Coach - This person has completed some training, usually in addition to some personal experience, in one or more health categories and has registered with the state as a coach. These individuals generally specialize in a category of lived experience such as career, life, parenting, fitness, relationships, etc. These conversations are more focused and structured with identified goals.

Peer Specialist - These are individuals with extensive personal recovery experience. They have navigated very difficult challenges and have experience utilizing navigating the support system and resources available. These individuals have also completed training programs with the State of Washington and have achieved a credential to verify they are indeed knowledgeable and have valuable information to offer those that work with them. Peer Specialists are often employed with nonprofit and community mental health agencies.

Clergy - These individuals have completed training or education in the religion or spirituality they believe in. Given their advanced knowledge of that belief system, they can offer guidance and support in line with those beliefs. Each religious group manages this process differently and has different requirements as determined by the religious institutions sanctioning their clergy status. These conversations are normally centered on finding guidance in the faith they are associated with and typically happen on the property of the faith organization.

Credentialed professionals providing therapy:

Therapy conversations tend to be more structured and a bit more formal. These conversations typically occur in an office setting or over telehealth. Therapy follows ethical codes governed by the professional association and the Department of Health. Therapy follows a treatment plan with identified goals from learning new skills to addressing underlying causes in order to alleviate distressing symptoms and improve your health.

Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor - Individual Approach - This person has completed a Masters level education, training program, and post graduate experiential hours under the supervision of a licensed and credentialed supervisor. The lens they operate from tends to be more individualistic. These clinicians can practice couples and family counseling, but only if they have sought additional training in these areas.

Licensed Clinical Social Worker - Macro Systemic Approach - This person has completed a Masters level education, training program, and post graduate experiential hours under the supervision of a licensed and credentialed supervisor. The lens they operate from tends to factor in more social systems than the other therapy schools of thought. They have more training in working within the welfare and benefit systems than their equitable counterparts. Unless pursued after graduation, these individuals have less direct theoretical and applied training in therapy itself as a trade of for the knowledge they have about the systems we live in. Most Social Workers work in agencies and hospitals and are not licensed in or doing therapy, though many do.

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist - Micro Systemic Approach - This person has completed a Masters level education, training program, and has completed post graduate experiential hours under the supervision of a licensed and credentialed supervisor. The lens they operate from tends to factor in both individual and systemic factors. They have training in both individual and relational therapies. Like the previous two categories, they may also seek post graduate specializations and additional trainings.

Psychologist - Individual Approach - This person has completed a Doctoral level education and training program and has completed post graduate experiential hours under the supervision of a licensed and credentialed supervisor. The lens they operate from tends to focus on assessments, evaluations, and research. In addition to this, they have applied training in therapy though this may not be the primary focus of their work.

Psychiatrist - Medical Approach - This person has completed a Doctoral level education and training program and has completed post graduate experiential hours under the supervision of a licensed and credentialed supervisor. The lens they operate from tends to focus on assessments, evaluations, and medical treatment. In addition to this, they have applied training in therapy though this may not be the primary focus of their work. Psychiatrists typically rely on medication as treatment over therapy, but may work in conjunction with a therapist.

2.) Are you looking for relationship support, resource connections, or individual work?

Knowing what you are looking for will help decide which professional is the best fit for you.

If you are seeking help with an important relationship in your life, a relational coach or therapist such as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist might be the best fit for you.
If you are looking for resource connections such as local drop in centers or how to connect with welfare services you are likely looking for a Social Worker or even a Peer Specialist.
If you are looking to work on issues you are facing individually, a Clinical Mental Health Counselor, Psychiatrist or Psychologist are well positioned for that work.

All of the above credentialed professionals are great options for doing 1:1 work. Your choice will come down to what you have access to and what type of conversation it is that you are looking to have with your helper of choice.

3.) Are you looking for a support group, therapy, assessment, or medications? Not sure?

The type of service you are looking for also helps decide who is the best fit for you.

Support Groups - These groups are often not led by a licensed or credentialed provider. While some support groups are led by professionals, most support groups are led by peers. This is the model that is used by organizations like NA and AA. These groups thrive by creating a sense of community and coming together to share, bare witness, and heal together. Substance use recovery is not the only area that holds peer led support groups. There are options for all sorts of identity spaces including domestic violence, gender support, faith based communities, grief and loss, and much more.

Therapy - This is specifically a service held by a trained and licensed mental health provider with the explicit goal of improving health. This can look like individual therapy, group therapy, or relational therapy like family, couple, or even co-worker. Therapy isn't always talk therapy either. There are many different modalities of mental health therapy out there including traditional talk therapy of course, but also drama, music, art, movement, yoga, eco therapy, and so much more. The vast majority of mental health supports and services fall under this category of services with many individuals, couples, and families participating in one or more sessions each week.

Assessment and Evaluation - For many, this is a great place to start. They know something is off, but they don't know what or what level of services would be appropriate for their struggles. Reaching out to your health insurance provider or even your primary care provider with your concerns can often lead to this step. This service generally starts with a service referral and connects you to a clinician such as a Psychologist to complete a series of conversations and assessments to narrow down the options and help you take a step in the direction of healing.

Medication Management - Not everyone needs psychotropic medication to help with managing their symptoms, but many do. The majority of these medications can be prescribed by a primary care provider, but it is always best to seek a Psychiatrist for managing medications for your mental health. Be sure to discuss with all of your medical providers which medications you are on across all health categories, that way they can help make sure there aren't any unwanted interactions between medications.

4.) Would you like guidance individually, with the other individual(s) in the relationship, or with a group of peers present?

Whether you are seeking support for yourself, your relationship, or in a cohort of others, will also impact the decision you are making for services.

Please note: The specific modality of any therapy can vary significantly from one provider to the next based on their training and theoretical alignment.

Group Therapy - This type of therapy is made up of one or more credentialed providers and multiple individuals or relationships coming together for a session. Group therapy can be a great resource in validating that you are not alone in your struggle and that other people are overcoming similar concerns.

Relational Therapy - This is any therapy that focuses on a relationship whether that is an intimate partnership, familial dynamics, or even between co-workers. Relational therapy focuses on the interpersonal dynamics and holds each party accountable for their contributions to the function of the system.

Individual Therapy - This is the most common and well known type of therapy. While an occasional session with someone you might be struggling with is appropriate, most of the time individual therapy sessions are between one licensed clinician and one individual person.

Check out these mental health providers and directories.