So you wanna know more about #therapy while #BlackInAmerica :
[A brief #MedEd 🧵] 🛋
Kick back and read along while I answer some common questions about therapy for #mentalhealth and #wellbeing :
[ #medtwitter #BlackTwitter #MentalHealthAwareness #bipocmentalhealthmonth ]➡️ https://twitter.com/drdanijackson/status/1283029683773243399
Questions addressed in this 🧵:
📌Wait therapy? I thought you were a psychiatrist?
📌Therapy, isn’t that just for rich white people?
📌How can I be sure they ain’t just putting my business in the street?
📌 Okay, I may be interested, but how do I find one? #psychtwitter ➡️
✅All psychiatrist are therapist, but not all therapist are psychiatrist.

Okay, this is a very general statement, but true.
All graduates of medical residency programs in General and Child/Teen Psychiatry have been trained in different types of psycho-therapy. Psycho like 🧠➡️
The mostly true part is that not ALL psychiatrist offer therapy as part of their practice.
This is complex and is related to:
-the history of #structuralracism in medicine
-the interest/speciality area of the individual doc.
-insurance coverage of services (historically 🗑)➡️
✅What exactly is therapy?
My mama told me it was for rich white folks (mine too😂):
-Therapy is a general word used to cover “treatment aimed at relieving emotional distress and mental health problems”.
Simply: psychotherapy “talk therapy” can lend a👂🏼to what troubles you. ➡️
Now I know that was REALLY broad. What do you mean “emotional distress”? I’m doing fine. 🤨
-Anything causing extra stress in your life: can’t sleep? relationship problems? Having trouble understanding a new medical diagnosis?
There’s a therapy for that!➡️
Yeah but like I said, isn’t that just for rich people? Do you know we are in a pandemic? 😤
-No, Most therapists are not like the ones we see on TV (lay here on the 🛋 and tell me about your childhood)
Yes, 🏥still so white, as are most 👨‍⚕️ [👩🏾‍⚕️👨🏽‍⚕️only 2%] we growing➡️
BUT what therapy looks like has changed in the last 100 yrs:
- therapy can be done in many ways (in person, by 📱or 🖥)
-All of these depend on 3 things:
1. What you want.
2. What the 👩🏾‍⚕️offers.
3. what your insurance covers/ or what you can spend 💰
✅More Accessible ➡️
No, it’s not perfect yet, costs are still where many of us 🛑.
-There ARE more options now as Psychiatrist, Psychologist (PhD) and other therapy specialist (LCSW, LCT) offer care types

✨I had the same reaction: You want me to pay HOW MUCH an hour to TALK 🧐 #Howsway ➡️
After 👀 different options..you can get an idea of what may work for you.
In person visits are limited right now because of #COVID19 🦠 but that may turn out to be a good thing for #mentalhealth care in the long run:
How? More online and 📱 based services 🙌🏾
#TherapySession➡️
Okay so I might want to see what this therapy thing is all about... How do I know this random stranger isn’t just putting my business in the street?!
I get it, my grandma used to say “don’t go out there airin’ our dirty laundry” (not the only one who heard this growing up)➡️
We ❤️ grandmas, but they are not always right 🤷🏾‍♀️.
Mine has gone home to meet her maker so I say that publicly 😂, caution advised ⚠️.
✅Therapist adhere to the same Doctor/Patient confidentiality rules as any Dr/healthcare professional... (your secret is safe with us)EXCEPT➡️
BIG Emergency exceptions:
1. You have thoughts/plans of wanting to hurt yourself, no longer want to be alive, or suicide.
2. You talk about harming a SPECIFIC someone else.
3. If given 📝permission to discuss your care with family. ➡️
Each individual therapist will go over the privacy policies with you at the end of the day.

Okay so I have been feeling extra #stressed since the pandemic/ before the pandemic/ everyday of my life!
How do I find a therapist⁉️ ➡️
Finding therapy is different for everyone depending on their goals:
It can look like...
1. I don’t know what I NEED, but I know I want to talk to someone.
2. My doctor told me I have depression, I’m ready to learn more.
3. I cannot sleep and I just want help with that!➡️
✅ Finding My Therapist, quick tips:
If you have no idea what you want to focus on start broad:
🧠 @therapy4bgirls provides a searchable directory of Black therapist by state, lists give location, insurances accepted and areas of expertise.
https://providers.therapyforblackgirls.com/ 
➡️
Other options include:
@AyanaTherapy @UnboxTherapy @BPA_INC (Black Psychiatrists of America)
@NAMICommunicate can help you locate a therapist in your region.

@AAKOMAProject @HealthInHerHue ➡️
And the tried and true:
Call the number on the back of the insurance card and ask what are therapist options are available to you ➡️
No insurance? It’s gets tricky, but it’s not Impossible:
@therapy4blkmen RIGHT NOW is have a sign up on their page for FREE therapy sessions that they will be rolling out soon!
Sometime the same organizations listed above will offer Free therapy sessions, especially during 🦠
Want to take baby steps into the feelings pool? ... consider alternatives like peer support groups or (video or chat based mostly available right now).

These are usually FREE, as you are not under a Doc or Therapist... but are instead meeting with friends you haven’t made yet.
As always, like with any care, each individuals choice is important.
No matter where you are on your wellness journey, your likely to find something that works for you! ➡️
Key Points:
📌Have an open mind when it comes to what therapy looks like
📌If you don’t vibe with one, you can always try a different one
📌Options for support are not endless...but they are more accessible than ever
📌Share this with a friend, you never know who needs it ➡️
Disclaimer: posts are not individual medical advice, and do no constitute a Dr/Patient relationship.
I am sharing knowledge in the interest of improving wellbeing. 🚨If you or are thoughts of harming yourself (or someone else) please call 911, go to your nearest emergency room.
➡️ or call the 24/7 Suicide Prevention hotline @suicidepreventionhotline or @ndvhofficial (national domestic violence hotline) 🚨If you are seeking treatment for a substance use disorder [drug or alcohol] and do not know where to go see @samhsagov http://www.samhsa.gov 
Additional Resources will be shared by link to @Twitter profile, such as:

https://twitter.com/HenryHealthApp 
Link above is to @HenryHealthApp providing services in the DMV 🙌🏾
You can follow @DrDaniJackson.
Tip: mention @twtextapp on a Twitter thread with the keyword “unroll” to get a link to it.

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