Therapy
What exactly is therapy anyways? And how do I know it's even for me?
Therapy is a space where you can access one-on-one support to process what is going on in your life. In a therapy setting, you'll be connected with are trained mental health provider to help you tend to your emotional and psychological wellbeing, manage mental health conditions or cope with difficult thoughts, feelings, behaviors, situations or histories.
In theory, therapy is for everyone. The goals of therapy are different for each person; some types of therapy are short-term (example: solutions-focused therapy) or specific to a situation (example: dealing with grief after the death of a loved one), some seek to change behavior (example: addiction-specific treatment) and some are more broad/time-flexible than that (example: psychodynamic therapy).
That all being said, in practice, fitting therapists can be a hard find. Below are some tips and resources that may support you in finding therapy options that are affirming and financially accessible.
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Finding a therapist
We are very excited to share that we launched the Y-WE’s Healing Justice Collective, a collaborative of practitioners centering the healing and advocacy needs of low-income QT/BIPOC youth! So far our collective is comprised of three partner organizations - within that there are seven therapists who are all BI&POC women and gender expansive folks. They are values-aligned, youth-centered and a have combined expertise in 40 specialities (for example: gender affirming care, neurodivergence, racial trauma etc.) and over 20 different therapy modalities (for example: EMDR, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Psychodynamic etc.) Eventually, practitioners will include a range of therapeutic support which includes but is not limited to traditional therapy (i.e. alternative pathways to healing like sound healing, reiki, healing justice facilitation and arts-based practice, for example).
Y-WE will be fully covering therapeutic services for young people who are seeking therapy. To start, we will be covering the first 12 sessions with the potential of offering a continuation stipend for folks who need support beyond the first 12 sessions. No documentation requirements and no insurance requirements.
To be eligible for therapy applicants must be:
- A current or former Y-WE youth participant
- 13 years of age or older (The age to self-elect into mental health services is 13 years old. This means that young people can pursue therapy without guardian permission. This also means that we cannot notify guardians about participation in therapy without the client's consent RCW 71.34.530.)
- Living in the state of Washington
- Looking for a new provider
Please fill out this form if you are interested in getting connected to a therapist and/or wellness practitioner. Spots are limited, but we hope to expand to help meet the needs of Y-WE youth & alumni. If you are looking for mental health support and are not Y-WE youth or alumni, please see resources provided below.
If you have any questions or are looking for more information, feel free to reach out Shaena at shaena@y-we.org.
Local Mental Health Providers Who Support Youth (Ages 13-24)
Powerful Voice: Healing Justice Program
Free Therapy with BIPOC Wellness Providers
Therapy Voucher Program for Students
Focuses includes DBT focused support and trauma treatment for QT/BIPOC young people
Offers DBT Skills groups & other support groups as well
Resonant Relationships (LGBTQIA centered)
Includes support for both youth & parents
Fees & insurance info here
Focuses include care for LQBTQIA+, BIPOC, people experiencing grief or loss, parents of LGBTQIA+ individuals
Gender affirming care consults are always pro-bono
Accepts insurance and has low cost therapy options
Youth specific organization
Offers individual & group therapy
Includes support for Teen Substance Abuse Disorder and offers psychological assessments/medication management
Accepts most insurance, including medicaid for King County residents
Focuses include complex trauma, Latinx identity, grief, attachment, decolonial mental health practices
Group sessions are available in Spanish or English
Does not take insurance, but offers low cost/sliding scale spots
Approaches: anti-oppression, relational, emotion-focused, trauma-informed, QTBIPOC affirming
Multiple languages offered
Most of our clinicians are preferred, in-network providers for Premera BlueCross, Lifewise, BCBS (most plans), First Choice Health, and Kaiser PPO (HMO with Pre-authorization). Some of our clinicians accept Lyra.
Ways to help fund therapy is in the Therapy Fund Assistance tab below
Therapy & Healer Directories:
***please note that therapists can only practice in the states they are licensed in. so, if you moved to CA for school, for example, you'll want to make sure you are looking for a therapist who is licensed in CA.***
Local Directories
Seattle/King County Therapists of Color (a crowdsourced list)
WA State BIPOC Therapists (easy to read list of therapists, what insurance they take, the costs & their specializations; just press CTRL + F and search)
National Directories Centering QT/BIPOC
Culturally Specific Directories
Asian & Pacific Islander Providers
Black Providers
Latinx Providers
Need Specific Directories
GALAP: Gender Affirming Letter Access Project
For College Students
More QT/BIPOC Therapy & Counseling Referrals - Liberation Healing Seattle
Sliding-scale services can also be found on Open Path Collective: https://openpathcollective.org
Tips on Finding a Match
Searching for a therapist can be overwhelming. Sifting through affordability, availability and fit can be challenging especially for those under 18. I would encourage going through this process with a trusted adult. Before doing that, consider the following questions (and take notes on your "need to haves" and "nice to haves" so you can refer back to them):
What personal qualities would you find important in a therapist?
Consider the ways your personal experience has influenced your worldview, the way you connect with others and understanding of certain social issues – this will be true for a therapist too.
Do you have an identity preference? (e.g. race, gender, class, sexual/romantic orientation, religion etc.)
What are your most deeply held values? Is it important that your therapist holds them too?
What kind of people do you get along with best?
How do you like to receive feedback?
What experience would you find important in a therapist?
While all therapists have similar credentials, they’ve all been educated differently and have all worked in different focus areas. Therapists also choose what post-graduate training they attend so the experiences vary widely. Therapists will usually identify specialties on their websites/bios.
Are you clinically diagnosed with anything? Are you seeking a clinical diagnosis?
What have you been through/what has shaped you? If you’re someone who has experienced loss, for example, grief might be a specialty you want in a therapist.
What do you want to work on right now?
Therapeutic relationships take time, energy and trust just like any other relationship; they can also shift depending on what you need. Therapy does not mean you have to lay it all out right away. You can start with the day-to-day. For example, maybe you have unhelpful thoughts that make you self-conscious or maybe you want help setting better boundaries. It is not expected of you to jump right into the big, heavy stuff right away. People earn the right to hear your story, therapists included.
What does your insurance cover?
Different types of insurance cover different types of therapy with different providers. If you are on your parent's health insurance, ask them what your insurance is.
If your insurance does not cover therapy, what is the budget?
Many therapists offer sliding scale payment options. There are also therapy funds you can apply to (more on insurance & paying for therapy below)
What is your schedule?
Therapists will often ask for a set of times/dates that work best for you.
Do you have a preference between in-person vs. virtual therapy?
Some therapists only see clients online through telehealth. If you prefer an in-person connection, consider this when you are searching
Are you interested in joining a support group? If so, take a look at these options.
Getting Started
Brown Pastel Flowchart Diagram Graph Template.pdf***Therapy Fund Assistance***
There are also therapy funds that you can apply to for assistance:
BIPOC Mental Health Funds
The Mental Health Liberation BIPOC Therapy Fund is an extension of our efforts: to provide free, quality therapy for us melanated folks.
The Service-Providers are social justice-oriented, professionally licensed, BI&POC community members.
We partner with many different wellness and mental health practitioners in the Puget Sound area with many different specialties. If you’d like to get connected to a BIPOC wellness practitioner, vouchers are available to support you on your self care journey (vouchers are $150/session and we cover up to 12 sessions through June of 2023.)
***Funding is limited and vouchers will be fulfilled on a first come first serve basis until funds are expended.***
This resource is available to girls of color & gender expansive youth along with their families.
All the practitioners we partner with have both virtual and in-person availability.
Deconstructing the Mental Health System (DMHS) Free Therapy Program (partners with Y-WE's Healing Justice Collective)
The purpose of DMHS Free Therapy is to identify clients with the highest needs, and refer them to Therapists who are already giving back to their communities, to provide short-term triage services that result in connecting clients with long-term care. From an equity perspective, our intention is to introduce Melanated people to high quality Therapy services that is culturally relevant and affirming.
QTBIPOC Mental Health Funds
The MHF provides financial assistance to Queer and Trans Black, Indigenous and People of Color to increase access to mental health support for QTBIPOC by QTBIPOC*. The program is designed to address the economic barriers inherent in healthcare and the mental health system. ***Application deadline for this cycle is March 31, 2023***
Asian Mental Health Funds
It is the mission of AMHC to normalize and de-stigmatize mental health within the Asian community.
Black Mental Health Funds
Easy Activism, a collective of activists committed to sustaining the Black Lives Matter movement, have fundraised to provide free therapy sessions for Black people seeking care. In partnership with Mental Health Liberation and Inclusive Therapists, the funds will be used to pay the BI&POC therapists who heal alongside the community, while also experiencing shared trauma.
Free Black Therapy is intended for Black or African American people who lack adequate health insurance and cannot otherwise afford to see a therapist. (18+)
Loveland Therapy Fund recipients will have access to comprehensive lists of mental health professionals across the country providing high quality, culturally competent services to Black women and girls.
The Washington Therapy Fund Foundation was founded in an effort to eliminate some of the barriers to Black healing. In direct response to the incessant police brutality and anti-Blackness the WA Therapy Fund Foundation was birthed. The Therapy Fund Foundation provides coverage for 6 sessions for those experiencing financial difficulty. You must find a therapist before applying for the vouchers.
Reaching out to a therapist
What to expect
Once you narrow in on some options, you can reach out to a therapist or therapy collective directly. Therapy providers will have their contact info or contact form on their website.
For individuals who have private practice, your communications will be directly with the therapist
They will let you know whether or not they are taking new clients and/or if they have a waitlist
They will let you know whether or not they take insurance and the rate(s) they charge out-of-network
They will offer to schedule a consultation to get to know more about what kind of support you're looking for
For therapy collectives or organizations, your message will usually go to a care coordinator
They can let you know whether or not any of the therapists on staff are taking new clients/have a waitlist
They can let you know whether or not they take insurance and the rate(s) they charge out-of-network
They will ask you questions about the kind of support you're looking for and offer to schedule a consultation
Sample template(s):
Hi _______, my name is ________. I am looking for a therapist and reaching out to see if you are taking new clients and/or have a waitlist.
Here is some information about me
Pronouns: _______
Age: _______
Racial/cultural background: _________
Insurance: ___________
Days/times I am available: _________
Phone number: ________
[Share a bit why you're looking for therapy/what you hope to get out of it/preferences in a therapist]
Please let me know if there is availability and/or you feel we might be a good fit.
Example:
Hi _______, my name is ________. I am looking for a therapist and reaching out to see if you are taking new clients or have a waitlist.
Here is some information about me
Pronouns: she/they
Age: 17
Racial/cultural background: Asian, 2nd generation immigrant
Insurance: Molina/Apple Health/Medicaid
Days/times I am available: M, W, TH after 2:30pm
Phone number: 123-456-7890
I am looking to start therapy to help me manage anxiety, work on my self-esteem and general wellness.
Please let me know if there is availability and/or you feel we might be a good fit.
Preparing for your consultation
1) Check your e-mail for any paperwork you are asked to fill out
2) Take a look at the considerations below
3) If the consultation is on the phone or zoom, find a private and quiet space to take the call
Searching for therapy options is kinda like shopping for an outfit - does it fit? do you feel comfortable? does it match your style? is it within your price range? does it make you feel good about yourself? what cultural considerations guide your decisions? Maybe something looks like you'll like it in the window, but find that it's not quite right for yourself. Maybe you try it on and like it at first and then decide you want to return the items. Or maybe you try something on and surprise yourself by how much you love it. When pursuing therapy, you are allowed to ask questions and be thorough. You're also allowed to change your mind, decide a therapist isn't a right fit for you and leave.
Therapy consultations are specifically designed to make space for questions and to help you figure out if you and provider are a good fit.
Some Sample Interview Questions for your therapist:
Cultural Humility & Specializations:
What issues do you specialize in/what are your areas of focus as a therapist? (Examples: Substance abuse, ASD, Depression, Anxiety, Gender Dysphoria, disordered eating etc.)
What’s your experience with working with people whose problems are similar to mine?
Tell me about your values as a practitioner.
What is your knowledge of community resources and additional support?
Identity
What are your pronouns?
Can you tell me about the identities you hold and how that shapes your worldview? How might that show up in the way you approach therapy?
Modality:
Can you tell me about what kinds of therapy you offer and what they will look like in practice?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of different approaches to therapy/treatment, including medications?
What is your philosophical approach to therapy?
Training, Education & Applied Experience:
What is your background and training (i.e., what certification or degrees do you hold)?
What kind of training do you have working with individuals who have experienced childhood trauma?
How long have you worked in this field?
What is your experience working with clients who have co-occurring disorders? What is your experience with differential diagnosis?
Differential diagnosis is a term used to describe a situation in which a clinician identifies multiple possible diagnoses. Many diagnoses have overlapping symptoms. It’s important because women, for example, are often under-diagnosed for things like Bipolar Disorder and ADHD.
Cost:
How much will therapy cost?
Find out if this provider takes your insurance? (Are they out of network, is there a copay).
Ask if they have a sliding scale.
Is there a discount for online or phone sessions as opposed to in-person?
More Resources:
This can be intimidating for sure! I am here if you'd like to practice with someone.
More Information
How do I know my therapist is a good fit?
Green Flags/Good Signs
You feel safe and respected when offering feedback. Therapy should be a space where you feel free to ask for what you need and let the therapist know if something isn't working.
You feel challenged (in a good way). Growth requires some level of discomfort.
Therapist honors your cultural background and life experiences.
Therapist is honest about their expertise and limitations.
You feel therapy is guided by you and your needs; therapist checks in with you and solicits feedback
Therapist is clear about their boundaries, policies and procedures
For example, therapists should be clear about their cancellation/late policies, they should check in with you about what happens if you see each other in public, there should be boundaries around communicating outside of the therapy room (text, after hours policies, re/scheduling practices etc.), you should be told about mandated reporting etc.
Therapist focuses on the impact of your experiences rather than getting stuck in the details of your trauma.
You trust this therapist to honor confidentiality
Red Flags/Warning Signs
Therapist shares too much about themself. Therapy is for YOU. If you're feeling like the therapist centers themself in the session(s) or shares inappropriate personal information, that is crossing a boundary.
You feel judged, invalidated or criticized
Therapist pressures you into sharing more than you are comfortable sharing or asks questions that feel inappropriate
Therapist breaks confidentiality. Outside of where it's required by law (mandatory reporting a dangerous situation), therapists should never share details about your sessions outside of your meetings without your consent, even to your parents. They should also never share specific details about other clients with you.
Therapist is flaky or inattentive; constantly late or cancels appointments; seems bored or disinterested; answers the phone during your session; forgets basic details about you/what you've shared
Therapist makes promises or guarantees; counselors should not be predicting or setting expectations on your progress; there are no "cures" in therapy
Therapist offers unsolicited advice - the role of a therapist is NOT to tell you how to live, what to believe or how to make decisions. Therapy is a space to guide you through your own needs, desires and awareness building.
For example, a therapist should never insist you to break up with your partner. They might help you examine relationship patterns, process conflicts, identify emotions and, maybe, express concern when something seems unsafe/harmful, but they should never tell you what to do.
Therapist encourages behaviors that harm you or others - while a therapist should not make you feel bad for making mistakes, accountability is an important part of healing. Therapy should hold a mirror to you and help you take a look at what is serving/not serving you.
Yellow Flags/Things to Notice
I include this because dynamics are not always cut and dry. You have to be an active participant in therapy in order for it to benefit you. Below are some grey areas that you might consider exploring further:
You don't feel like you can be yourself. I put this in the yellow flag category because there are many reasons we might feel inclined to hold ourselves back. Are you feeling uncomfortable with vulnerability? Have you not built trust with this person yet? Or does the therapist behave in ways that makes you apprehensive to show up authentically? If you're feeling this way, take note of the possibilities why.
Your therapist talks more than you. Is your therapist filling the silence before you've gotten the chance to process? Do you feel like your therapist is talking at you instead of engaging you in dialogue? Or are you feeling checked out/not participating?
Your therapist feels like a friend. While it's natural to become attached to a person you've shared so much of yourself with, there is a boundary between a therapeutic relationship and a friendship. There are elements of a therapeutic relationship that might feel like friendship, but ultimately therapists are providing a service that centers you.
How long will it take to see results?
There's no real answer to this question! A lot of people enter therapy expecting quick, measurable changes and get disappointed when they don't see progress right away. Just like everything else, healing and transformation takes time.
Think about what it takes to grow a plant from a seed - all the resource, time and nourishment that goes from planting, watering, monitoring, offering sunlight and the right temperature. You see the plant every day, water it weekly and it is growing every day -- how long does it take for you to notice its growth? Therapy is like this too. It's gonna take lots of time nourishing yourself in and outside of the therapy room understanding there will be natural lulls, ups and downs in the process. You get to move at your own pace!
I don't think I'm ready for therapy, but interested in learning more about mental health.
That makes sense! Therapy can feel like opening a wound. Timing is a valid consideration when choosing when to begin therapy for the first time. Here are some mental health & wellness resources that may be of support to you. Peer support is another option to getting one-on-one care.
If you're a Y-WE participant and want to talk through therapy options, feel free to schedule a chat with me here.