The help you need has to be locally delivered. We suggest using your health insurance, if you have it still, to meet with a counselor. Counselors can be Masters-prepared (M.A. in clinical psychology or L.C.S.W. clinical social workers). Psychologists have either a PhD in clinical psychology or a PsyD also in clinical psychology.
Psychiatrists are physicians (M.D.) who are able to prescribe medications for psychological distress. In most states only psychiatrists can order medication. In some states psychiatric nurse practitioners or physicians' assistants (A.R.N.P, P.A.) can also order medication. Most counselors work collaboratively with a professional who can prescribe medications.
Your current or former employer may offer employee assistance (EAP). However many EAP counselors have trouble honoring confidentiality or feel sympathetic to the employer who pays their contract. Find an independent mental health professional.
Types of Counselors to Avoid
- One who says that you're the problem and does not believe that anyone could do what the bully did.
- One who is curious about your relationship with your mother, but doesn't want to hear what happened at work.
- One who specializes only in family relationships or teenagers.
Types of Counselors to Hire
- A specialist in trauma, post traumatic stress (PTSD), or one who leads groups of PTSD sufferers.
- A specialist in domestic violence.
- A specialist in anxiety disorders.
- A therapist who advertises certification in EMDR (a technique to reduce anxiety)
- If you live in the Portland, Oregon area, WBI can confidently refer you to one psychologist who "gets it"
You may be reluctant to quiz prospective therapists on the phone prior to an initial appointment. Remember you are the client. You are paying or directing insurance dollars to their pockets. Shopping for therapy is a consumer task. Therapists are in business. If he or she makes you uncomfortable when you ask the questions we suggest you ask, do not use him or her as a therapist. If during the initial session a therapist makes you uncomfortable, feel free to leave that session.
You probably tolerated bullying too long. That's why you're seeking a therapist now. So don't let a therapist bully you and worsen your emotional health.
Questions to Ask When Shopping for Therapists
- Have you heard of the term workplace bullying? If not, would you be willing to learn about it? (You can download articles from the website and direct the therapist to the book The Bully at Work)
- Do you understand how a work environment can elicit or cause to happen dysfunctional behavior at work?
- Do you emphasize present issues over early life experiences?
- Do you have a conflict of interest regarding any matters related to company X. (my current or past employer)
- Is there an ideal number of sessions that you prefer? How would you characterize your therapeutic technique?
Try to interview 3 or more therapists (or their receptionists) before scheduling the initial session. If it doesn't work out with one, you will be able to call on another.
If the therapist resists the concept of workplace bullying and is not open to learning, do not hire that person. If they underestimate the role of a work environment which includes having a bullying boss and an unsupportive HR, this type of therapist is likely to blame you for your fate. You cannot work with a therapist who has a conflict. He or she will defend the employer and be biased.
Most contemporary counselors use "cognitive-behavorial" approaches that would include desensitization techniques which work well to decrease anxiety. Nearly any therapeutic philosophy works except psychoanalytic or psychodynamic.
So the task of finding a therapist cannot be passive. You must be a questioning active consumer. If this threatens any therapists that you screen, avoid them.
Your experience with bullying validates years of research. Bullying clearly affects the psychological health of targeted people.
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