# How to find a good Cognitive Behavioral Therapist? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 12, 2013, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-find-a-good-cognitive-behavioral-therapist/663328 "2013-07-12T15:36:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Miss\_Violaceous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@Miss\_Violaceous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Violaceous)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2013, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-find-a-good-cognitive-behavioral-therapist/663328/1 "2013-07-12T15:36:01Z")
Referrals don’t seem to be panning out. What kind of degree should I look for, specialization or certification? I am seeking treatment for specific phobia. My last round of therapy didn’t help, but that wasn’t CBT, which I understand to be the gold standard in treatment for phobia. Searching for providers who specialIze in phobias turns up an odd mishmash of therapists, counselors, social workers and naturopaths. ---
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2013, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-find-a-good-cognitive-behavioral-therapist/663328/2 "2013-07-12T17:41:59Z")
The [Mitchell Family Clinic](http://www.csun.edu/education/mitchell-family-counseling-clinic/) at CSUN can probably get you a referral. They started out years ago as strictly a CBT clinic, but have since diversified. IIRC though, desensitization therapy has been shown to have a slight edge over CBT. A fascinating study would be to try CBT, desensitization, and propranolol all at the same time. I don’t know enough about factor analysis to know if that would be designable or feasible, though. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2013, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-find-a-good-cognitive-behavioral-therapist/663328/3 "2013-07-12T20:48:09Z")
PM me if you feel like it. I take DBT with my morning coffee. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2013, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-find-a-good-cognitive-behavioral-therapist/663328/4 "2013-07-14T12:03:00Z")
> [@Washoe](#): > > The [Mitchell Family Clinic](http://www.csun.edu/education/mitchell-family-counseling-clinic/) at CSUN can probably get you a referral. They started out years ago as strictly a CBT clinic, but have since diversified. IIRC though, desensitization therapy has been shown to have a slight edge over CBT. A fascinating study would be to try CBT, desensitization, and propranolol all at the same time. I don’t know enough about factor analysis to know if that would be designable or feasible, though. But CBT then just went back and incorporated desensitization therapy. At least, I’ve never had one without the other. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2013, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-find-a-good-cognitive-behavioral-therapist/663328/5 "2013-07-14T13:15:26Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > PM me if you feel like it. I take DBT with my morning coffee. Not quite the same thing, depending on which version of the abbreviation you mean. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2013, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-find-a-good-cognitive-behavioral-therapist/663328/6 "2013-07-14T13:58:43Z")
Medical advice is best suited to IMHO. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2013, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-find-a-good-cognitive-behavioral-therapist/663328/7 "2013-07-14T17:32:13Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > But CBT then just went back and incorporated desensitization therapy. At least, I’ve never had one without the other. Yeah, I realized that after I posted. They’re basically just different flavors of the same brand of ice cream, so it would make sense to merge them into one therapeutic modality. ---
**Author:** ![LibrarySpy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f9ae1b/32.png) [@LibrarySpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LibrarySpy)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2013, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-find-a-good-cognitive-behavioral-therapist/663328/8 "2013-07-14T21:17:26Z")
The degree for psychotherapy doesn’t matter so much. Just find someone you can work with who’s willing to do what you want. I’ve had good luck with CBT and PTSD and controlling my body’s automatic response to triggers. ---
**Author:** ![Brynda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Brynda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brynda)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-find-a-good-cognitive-behavioral-therapist/663328/9 "2013-07-15T00:03:17Z")
Try the American Psychological Association’s And Psychology Today’s therapist locator services. Both give websites for individual therapists, which will allow you to research them. People who use CBT will indicate that on their websites. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-find-a-good-cognitive-behavioral-therapist/663328/10 "2013-07-15T01:14:38Z")
> [@Miss\_Violaceous](#): > > Referrals don’t seem to be panning out. What kind of degree should I look for, specialization or certification? I am seeking treatment for specific phobia. My last round of therapy didn’t help, but that wasn’t CBT, which I understand to be the gold standard in treatment for phobia. Searching for providers who specialIze in phobias turns up an odd mishmash of therapists, counselors, social workers and naturopaths. Where are you located? ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_the_Impaler)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-find-a-good-cognitive-behavioral-therapist/663328/11 "2013-07-15T03:00:34Z")
> [@Brynda](#): > > Try the American Psychological Association’s And Psychology Today’s therapist locator services. Both give websites for individual therapists, which will allow you to research them. People who use CBT will indicate that on their websites. To expand on this, when you call a therapist, ask if they would be willing to do a free 10 minute phone consultation. I’ve not done this looking for a CBT therapist, but the advice I was given for my issue was to ask about what a session looks like and sounds like. How is time balanced? What is the agenda? For CBT, maybe ask if you will be doing homework before every session? What experience they have in dealing with your specific phobia? What they believe about the process of change? Do they have a psychiatrist they work with if meds are recommended? As to certifications, I don’t know how to answer that. But maybe you could ask a therapist who is willing to do a free phone consult what they recommend you look for? Let them know you are interviewing several to find a good fit. Do THEY have anyone they’d recommend? I eventually ended up with someone that several other therapists I’d done the phone consult with mentioned. Your regular doctor might know someone, and I would do the same phone consult process with whomever they suggest.