Cant find a professional

[TimboJenkins]

I'm brand spanking new to this forum i hope I'm asking this question in the right place. Anyway i live in a town several hours outside of Phoenix Arizona where i go to college I've recently come to the conclusion that I'm no longer in control(still not sure if i ever was in control)of my depression and am in need of professional care or medication. My problem is there appears from all the online resources that there is no licensed professionals in my area. My question is does anyone have any ideas of ways i can get help. Thanks.

[Leif]

Most colleges and community colleges nowadays have an on staff therapist or doctors that have more information on how to find one. You might also look into online therapists who work via skype or chatrooms, I've not dealt with them myself but I hear good things about them. They seem to be a bit more expensive then usual ones so that might be a bit of a problem. I hope any of that helped.

[fifthsonata]

Hey there, the virtual resources are only people who've taken the time to register themselves in the virtual world.

You still have options - in small places, you've got a few ways:

1) The phone book. Professionals do list themselves in the phone book. Downside is you can't check any external reviews, but you could have a trial session or two - that's the perk of smaller towns is that some will give free one time sessions to see if you mesh well.

2) Your doctor. As in - your medical doctor. They can give you local referrals, AND, they can give you some trials for medications while you find a counselor. The doctor may or may not be hesitant about giving you antidepressants without extensive sessions done to evaluate your mental state, but they may give you some temporary measures like Xanax.

3) Have you checked to see if you have a behavioral health clinic? My hometown does, and the population is 12,000 people. There are plenty of resources in a behavioral health clinic.

4) Your employer. If you're in the US, I think it's a law that they provide "resources for living" or something like that. It's a free counselor, basically. You get it set up, go in for an interview, and the counselor decides whether or not you need counseling and if they can help you. If they decide yes to both, you get a free number of sessions and it's covered 100% by your employer. And no, it's not reported to your employer. Complete confidentiality. It's obvious I haven't used it, but my mother has and this is how she explained it to me. You don't have to be on their insurance plan to use it. It's worth an investigation!



Start there, and see where it leads you my friend

[fifthsonata]

oh, forgot to mention - I think hospitals have in-house counselors. not sure how it works with the community, but that's worth a shot, too.

[TimboJenkins]

Thanks to both leif and fifthsonata im for sure going to look into those sugestions.