Actually meeting with a therapist and speaking out loud about your longings is uniquely valuable. However, not every situation and phase of life can accommodate the establishing and maintaining of a therapeutic relationship.
This page is for those times.
Online Resources
We are lucky to live in an era where information is so readily available. However, not all information is of equal value. Critical thinking about the sources of information is a vital skill in the modern age. The following online resources are some of my go-to’s and from reliable sources.
988 Lifeline
Did you know you can dial 988 (similar to 911) if you have a mental health or suicide crisis? You also text or chat online to get connected to resources, and converse with someone trained to help in a crisis.
VA Mindfulness App
If you are looking for a low cost way to learn about and begin practicing mindfulness, this free app from the Veteran’s Administration is a great place to start. Mindfulness has been shown to have many health benefits, so long as you practice consistently. So do a little everyday, and watch your digital tree grow!
Social Media
Yes, you can find good information on social media, but always think about why the individual is giving you this information (e.g. to sell you something), and how qualified they are to give it (see license verification below). Algorithms make flashy, emotionally evocative, simplified information more readily available. Two licensed mental health professionals that have been using social media to provide public education for a long time are Dr. Ali Mattu PhD, a former president of the APA, and Katie Morton LMFT. I’m also a fan of Berlin Psychoanalytic, and the Psychiatry and Psychotherapy Podcast though their content is more targeted to professionals. Reasonable professionals disagree on some things, but align on more things – that’s my stance on these resources.
APA Dictionary
If you’ve ever wondered if you are using a psychology term correctly, or if pop culture has watered it down, the American Psychological Association dictionary is a useful reference tool.
Merck Manuals
Provides basic information on a variety of diagnoses. Useful if perhaps your friend, family member, or other is struggling with something you don’t know much about.
Medication
Clinicians at ITRW don’t prescribe medication, but it can be important to your health. When I’m not familiar with what you are taking I usually go to either a big book on my desk or one of these two web sites: Drugs.com (accessible for the public, but with ads) or DailyMed (almost all the info you could want maintained by the National Institutes of Health). It’s always good to talk with your primary care practitioner to see if medication side effects or other physical health concerns could be causing your symptoms.
American Psychoanalytic Association
What is psychodynamic therapy or modern psychoanalysis? You can learn more from the professional association focused on this type of therapy. All types of psychotherapy average about a 70% effectiveness and contrary to popular belief there hasn’t been one that’s significantly better than another, because people are different. So find what seems right for you.
License Verification
Ever wondered what all those letters are behind mental health professionals' names? There is a confusing assortment of degrees, credentials, and licenses all represented by acronyms. Degrees come from schools and universities. Credentials are from fee-for-service training programs and represent specialized training. Licenses are issued by the government. In my opinion licenses are the most important, because they exist to regulate professionals and protect the public. All behavioral health licenses in Kansas are maintained in a government database that is searchable by the public. This is true of many states. If the counselor or therapist you are thinking of seeing (or are watching online) has a license you should be able to find it, and also see if they have ever had action taken against them by the licensing board. This isn’t always the clinician's fault –we’ve all dealt with angry members of the public, or missed a deadline – but it gives you information to ask about in your first visit or on the phone prior to scheduling.