July 8, 2021
There are thousands of therapists in the United States and, unless you live in a rural area, many for you to choose from. Yet, finding a therapist that is a good fit, especially one who treats complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD), can be a daunting task.
Asking questions and vetting a therapist for your healing journey requires you to ask many questions. Knowing what qualities to search for in a therapist is also vital. This article will seek to answer some of the questions on how to look for and obtain a therapist who treats CPTSD.
Vetting a Prospective Therapist
Therapists who treat complex post-traumatic stress disorder are rare, but there are many therapists out there who are willing to learn and should not be discounted. How can you tell if a therapist either treats CPTSD or is willing to learn? You ask the right questions and accept their answers. In this way, you can vet a therapist to see if they are a good fit.
Below is a list of questions to ask adapted from a piece written by Annie Hope Lucario taken from her website Healing from Complex Trauma & PTSD/CPTSD.
Ask the prospective therapist how many clients they have treated for CPTSD.
Hopefully, the therapist will answer that they have treated at least one client. However, if they answer no, that need not be a deal-breaker. Ask them if they are willing to work with you to heal from complex post-traumatic stress disorder. If they say they do treat it, then move on.
Ask the therapist you are interviewing if they know the differences between trauma and complex trauma.
The therapist needs to understand well these differences between trauma, caused by a one-time event, and complex trauma, caused by repeated traumatization. The therapist needs to be aware, in a deep sense, of the unique needs of someone who is treated for complex post-traumatic stress disorder. If they answer no, move on.
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