Why is it so hard to find a therapist?
Have you been told by agencies in your area that they have a waitlist as long as 6 months or even a YEAR before you can be seen by a therapist? I'll let you in on some pro-tip to find someone in just a couple of weeks....
Something CRAZY that I did not expect when starting my own practice, is that there is such a gap between clients needing therapists and therapists needing clients.
Did you know that Maryland, like many states, faces an ENORMOUS shortage of mental health providers? The state of Maryland is estimated to need another 30,000 behavioral health workers by the end of 2028 to meet the demand for services that exists. Source: Danielle J. Brown of Maryland Matters.
So, why is it SO HARD to find a therapist for people in Maryland?! The answer is multifaceted, but here's the gist:
1) People often look to larger mental health agencies for therapy when they decide they want to take the next steps. Many larger mental health agencies employ therapists in an environment where burnout is RAMPANT and the quality of care is lower due to unrealistic metrics and poor compensation and pay for therapists. The expectation for many of these agencies is that their therapists see 30, 40, or even 50 people per WEEK. This leads to burnout, lower quality of care, compassion fatigue, and disruption of services. Therapists burn out, and they leave, leaving their clients hanging. Then, they're put on the dreaded waitlist.
2) People rely on insurance carriers for an accurate and updated listing of providers. Makes sense, right? The issue is, insurance directories are often extremely outdated and don't reflect on up to date information about where the therapist is located, who they're seeing, and what their availability is.
3) People aren't looking at therapist directories or listings. These days, a simple Google search won't cut it. Unless you're looking to be placed on a waitlist for several months, the secret to FINDING a therapist is to search on sites like Psychology Today, Mental Health Match, Therapy Den, and ZenCare. You can filter by speciality, insurance accepted, AND who is ACTUALLY taking on new clients.
NOTE: I offer immediate openings for adults 18+ in Maryland for virtual therapy. Contact me today for a free consult!