One good place to start is to ask a primary care doctor or other health care provider for recommendations. Mental health professionals include psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, nurses specializing in mental health, and other licensed professional counselors. You also might consult with a religious counselor.
Here are some other resources that might be helpful in finding a mental health professional.
1) General information about mental health care and the different types of practitioners:
2) To find a mental health treatment center in your city:
- National Mental Health Information Center. Features a map of the U.S. states and territories. Clicking on any of these leads to a city-by-city, searchable list of local mental health resources
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has a similar map and database for people with VA benefits.
- general and psychiatric hospitals
- university departments of psychology or psychiatry
- employee assistance programs in the workplace
- Depending on the urgency of your situation, try checking under "Mental Health," "Crisis Intervention," and "Hotlines" in both your locale's telephone directory and Web site.
3) To find a private psychiatrist or psychologist in your city:
- The American Psychiatric Association's APA Answer Center. You can also call or write the American Psychiatric Association directly, at 1000 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 1825, Arlington, VA 22209; 1-888-35-PSYCH; email apa@psych.org. From outside the U.S. and Canada, call 1-703-907-7300.
- American Psychological Association.
Health insurance plans and health maintenance organizations. These may limit where mental health treatment can be provided and the number of visits that will be covered. However, they can often steer you in the right direction when you are looking for treatment.
Hospital emergency departments. Remember that, in a mental health crisis, hospital emergency departments always are available, and their staff should also be able to make referrals for follow-up outpatient care.
