individual and group therapy
As your peers, we've assembled a list of tips for finding the right therapist based on our own experience and research. If you think you might have symptoms of a mental illness, you want to talk to a mental health professional about unwanted or negative thoughts and feelings you are experiencing, or are going through a tough period of your life, talk to a psychologist or psychiatrist!
No problem is too big or too small to warrant professional help!
*Call 911 or go to the hospital if your health is in danger or you have thoughts of suicide.
Need therapy now?
Check out our new affordable therapy program with BetterHelp for reduced costs and partially-covered therapy!
Other Online Platforms you can use:
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Psychology Today
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therapist database​
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can start talking to a professional for FREE​
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group sessions available
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can be anonymous
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MindCove Therapy (Canada)
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Pride Counselling (LGTBQ community)
FREE group therapy
general mental health support group​
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National Alliance on Mental Illness Free Support Groups
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Eating disorders​
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Beyond rules recovery - individual and group programs that Resilience Rally can subsidize
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National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA) support groups and community
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NEDIC- Canadian in person and online support groups
Sobriety/addiction
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Steph Still- friend of Resilience Rally who hosts bi-weekly sober support groups
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https://www.childrenshospital.org/programs/adolescent-substance-use-and-addiction-program ​
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Alcoholics Anonymous - free online and in-person groups
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Refuge Recovery (based on Buddhism) https://www.refugerecovery.org/
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Yoga for 12 step recovery https://y12sr.com/
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Grief/suicide related support
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Alliance of Hope- group for losing a loved one to suicide
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American Foundation for Suicide Prevention- what to do after a suicide attempt
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Grief and loss​​
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Young people dealing with loss- UK support group
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Discussion forum to feel less alone
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​PEER SUPPORT
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Community Calls facilitated by Resilience Rally leaders
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Family issues
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NAMI facilitated support group​​​
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​LGBTQ mental health groups
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Find a community at Trevor Space by The Trevor Project
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Canadian LGBTQ mental health care​
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Black Community
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Therapy for Black Girls​ community page and programs
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FINDING therapy in person
1. Ask your primary care provider to refer you to a mental health professional based on your specific needs.
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2. Consult an online database like Psychology Today for therapists in your area and read their bios to learn about their specialization. ​
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3. Ask a trusted friend or family member who is in therapy how they got started and if their therapist can recommend anyone.
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4. If you are a student or student-athlete, consult your team doctor, coach, or trusted advisor to assist you in finding the right mental health professional.
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making therapy affordable
Use our affordable therapy program with BetterHelp! Available to all Resilience Rally Members.
Use Zocdoc to search for a therapist that is covered by your insurance.
When asking your GP for a referral, say that you are looking for a therapist covered by insurance and they can recommend someone in their network.
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Go to free group counseling sessions! Finding a supportive and understanding community is incredibly important to your healing.
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Talk to your current therapist about your financial situation and discuss seeing each other less often but supplementing in-person visits with worksheets, exercises, and tools you can do at home.
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If you are a student, go to the counseling centre at your university. If they cannot provide you with adequate support, ask them to refer you to a psychologist or psychiatrist at a clinic or university that is affiliated with the university.
What to look for in a therapist
Finding the right therapist can sometimes be like dating in that you do not have to connect with and commit to the first person you meet.
If something feels off, you feel unsafe sharing information, or it is generally not a match, feel free to acknowledge that and try therapy with someone new! This happens all the time so try not to get discouraged or worry about offending the therapist.
Tell them about your needs and your symptoms. Different therapists have different strengths and they will let you know if they can best serve you or if someone else at the clinic would be a better match.
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Think about what you are seeking from therapy- do you just want to talk? do you want the sessions to be very structured? are you looking for specific types of therapies?
Communicate this with your therapist!
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Remember that therapy is tough! It is okay to sometimes dread going or leave feeling a little upset. You are unpacking a lot of emotions and dealing with unpleasant thoughts.
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