By: Annie Fish, MSW
Marketing at Graceful Therapy
Personal Thoughts, Experiences, Preferences - everyone has their own on their therapy journey!
Take it from someone who recently acquired a new therapist at another group practice after “breaking up” with a telehealth platform therapist and is never looking back. Find out why Graceful Therapy should be the first place you seek out.
A few months ago, I was listening to one of my favorite podcasts and I heard the 373rd commercial break about a therapy app/platform that week & decided that it was time to start prioritizing quality over convenience in my therapeutic experience again. I have so much gratitude for the sessions I did have on this therapy app/platform because I knew that it was still bettering me and keeping me accountable. But something was telling me it was time to go back to the Private Practice route to find a new therapist.
“Therapist Shopping” is daunting and time consuming. Thankfully, I was able to find a private group practice in my community that has what I needed, and they were a lot faster than I thought they’d be at helping me schedule my first intake session. I knew immediately I liked the therapeutic style of the clinician and decided to schedule another session. I felt the moment I “clicked” with a therapist.
That feeling brought a sense of understanding and safety that I didn’t know I was lacking in my telehealth sessions. (The waiting room with free coffee doesn’t hurt either!) There’s something about going to-and-from therapy that became part of my therapy; the alone time I get after I sit in a session is so important to me now. I later realized I always went right back to work on my laptop after my telehealth sessions. I gave myself no opportunity to pause and let session experiences sink in.
Ultimately, finding the right clinician and platform is a personal decision. Here are some things to consider:
A lot of the platforms are owned by tech startups, not therapists or people who work in the field
A few have lost lawsuits about data mining that they shared with advertisers based on HIPAA based release information
Many clinicians themselves have reported that they are over-worked, under-paid, and under-valued while working for these platforms (which also leads to high turnover with therapists)
They don’t accept insurance
You don’t get great individualized customer care
Less therapeutic methods are able to be offered
Most aren’t designed for people living with symptoms of a more serious mental illness
If you’re someone who thrives with routine, being face to face when connecting with others, or you have difficulty prioritizing yourself completely, it may be time to trust a private practice. There are several ways to seek out a community private practice like Graceful Therapy to find a therapist you click with that are just as easy as apps. You can go online to our website, call, or email and our intake team will help guide you on your therapeutic experience in a refreshing way. The therapists at Graceful are passionate about what they do, and our intake team responds within 24 hours of any request. We work with you to find the right therapist based on clinical specialty, availability and your personal preferences.
Graceful Therapy offers a real glimpse into our team with therapist pages that include their bio, headshot, and a quick video that explains their approach to therapy & a few insights about them as individuals. This is an invaluable tool when “therapist shopping” because you’re able to see their style, their professional experience, and you can envision yourself in a session with them.
Any community private practice should be where you turn to if you find yourself stuck in a rut in your therapy journey. I wholeheartedly believe Graceful Therapy is a wonderful place to reset your therapeutic journey. And I’d like to tell you why…
The therapists usually live in the general vicinity of the offices they work, so they understand the current changes, losses, and updates happening to the community at large
There is a team of people that work to make sure you feel taken care of, whether it be talking to your insurance company, or finding a time and therapist that works for you - they truly do it like no computer could!
We pride ourselves on putting clients guest and maintaining a supportive environment to also support and take care of one another.
The wide variety of therapeutic modalities that are available is unlike anything I’ve ever seen for a community private practice! This means you can likely explore what you think may work best for you and your clinician can easy collaborate with other professionals to provide you the best care.
We offer sessions in the office, telehealth sessions, walk & talk therapy, group workshops, and equine therapy outdoors! You’ll have options to choose from especially if virtual sessions feel limiting even though they are also convenient.
Whether you are starting therapy for the first time, considering a virtual therapist app, or finding you’re ready for a change, we want you to find a healing space that is best for you!
Reach out with any questions or to get scheduled today! 630-733-9108 admin@gracefultherapy.com www.gracefultherapy.com