Finding a Substance Use Disorder Therapist: 8 Tips

A substance use and addiction therapist can be an essential part of recovery for you or a loved one with opioid use disorder (OUD). These professionals are specifically trained to help people and their families learn more about opioid addiction and work toward recovering from substance use.

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If you need to find the best therapist to help you or a loved one deal with an opioid addiction, there are some factors to consider during the process. These specialists may or may not be part of a larger addiction treatment program.

1. Look for Someone Who Is Credentialed

You’ll want to make sure any therapist you work with has credentials from your state. Different states have different ways to get credentialed and different credentials that therapists can get. In general, you’ll want to find someone who is a licensed counselor, a licensed social worker, or a licensed psychotherapist. You might also choose to work with someone who is a licensed addiction counselor.

Most therapists list letters after their name that indicate what sort of license they have. Some common ones are LPC (licensed professional counselor), LCSW (licensed clinical social worker), and CAC (certified addiction counselor). You may need to search online for the meaning of any of these acronyms that you don’t know.

2. Find Someone Who Specializes in Addiction

Not every therapist specializes in substance use disorders or opioid addiction. If you’re living with OUD, it might be best to choose someone who has done extra training in that area, has experience working with people living with opioid addiction, and has a good track record when it comes to helping people recover from drug use.

When looking for a therapist, you’ll want to find a licensed counselor, a licensed social worker, or a licensed psychotherapist. You might also choose to work with a certified addiction counselor.

You can ask potential therapists about all these concerns. They should be willing to answer your questions so you can know which one might give you or your loved one the best chance of overcoming addiction.

It’s also important to make sure that a therapist offers all the services you need on your road to recovery. These may include:

• Providing options of what to do when you have opioid cravings
• Giving you strategies for avoiding opioids so you don’t relapse
• Offering suggestions for what to do if a relapse happens
• Working with you on issues around your job, your family and friends, the law, and any other challenges connected to opioid use
• Aiding you and your family members in developing better communication
• Addressing any other mental health issues that you’re dealing with

3. Seek Out Treatment Approaches That Work

Some types of treatment have been proved to help people recover from opioid use disorder. These include:

• Medications to aid in recovery
• Support systems, such as therapy and peer support groups
• Cognitive behavioral therapy, a form of talk therapy that helps individuals identify and change harmful thought patterns and behaviors related to substance use
• Education on the risks of opioid use
• Drug counseling

If a particular therapist says that they offer a different type of therapy, ask a doctor about it before you sign up. You can also do your own research to see if it’s an effective therapy for people with OUD, though medical articles can be difficult to read and interpret if you don’t have a background in the field. You can also ask the therapist for articles or books that support their use of the treatment plan.

4. Consider Your Insurance

If you have medical insurance and it offers coverage for opioid use disorder treatment, you’ll want to make sure that any therapist you see is covered by your plan. This will help keep the cost of treatment as low as possible. When you can afford treatment, it may take away one barrier to getting better.

Before you agree to work with any therapist, you should talk with your insurance company and the therapist. Make sure that they work together and have the same understanding of what will be covered and how much treatment will cost. You can work out any discrepancies ahead of time so you won’t have to worry about them after you or your loved one starts treatment.

5. Decide if Teletherapy Is Right for You

Telehealth, including teletherapy, is now a legal way to access treatment for OUD. Teletherapy involves meeting with your therapist online, rather than having to leave the house and visit them in person.

If you have medical insurance and it offers coverage for opioid use disorder treatment, you’ll want to make sure that any therapist you see is covered by your insurance plan.

Teletherapy has many benefits. If you live far from the therapist you want to see, you can still work with them. It’s also more convenient since you don’t have to plan travel time into your day. In some instances, it may cost less, and some people are more comfortable with online communication.

On the other hand, teletherapy may not be effective for everyone. If you want to meet with a therapist in person or you feel like you need this so you can recover, then you should. There may also be questions about security and privacy. You’ll need to ask questions to ensure your private medical information is protected with teletherapy.

6. Find Someone Who Fits Your Personality and Your Needs

A substance use and addiction therapist must not only be well trained and skilled but also be a good fit for you. If you feel like you can’t be open and honest with a therapist, you may not be motivated to work with them or to continue therapy sessions for as long as you might need to.

In some instances, teletherapy may cost less, and some people are more comfortable with online communication.

Consider factors like your therapist’s communication style. You should feel heard and understood, even as a therapist encourages you to make major changes in your life. You want to know that they respect you, no matter what your recovery looks like.

You should also feel safe with your therapist. This may mean looking for someone who shares or shows radical acceptance of factors like your cultural background, gender identity, sexual orientation, values, and more. If you sense fundamental disagreements with a therapist over any of these issues, then they probably aren’t a good fit and you may not be able to work with them.

Finally, consider the therapist’s personality. Therapists are people too, and you may want to work with someone who feels compatible with you. Even if you can’t nail down why, you’ll feel more comfortable with some therapists than with others. The more comfortable you are with a therapist, the easier it will be to work with them.

7. Look Online

If you’re not sure where to start, you can look online for substance use and addiction therapists in your area. Your insurance company should have lists of therapists they work with, so that can be a great place to start.

In addition, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has a website where you can put in your location and find help near you. Psychology Today also lists addiction therapists by location. These resources can give you a good sense of who and what is available in your area so you know where to start.

8. Talk to Your Doctor

Anytime you think that you or someone you love may be living with opioid use disorder, talk with a healthcare provider right away. They can help you through the entire process of getting a diagnosis, finding the right treatment option for your needs, going through treatment, and living in recovery.

Your doctor can be a great resource when it comes to substance use and addiction therapists in your area. They may know who does good work in the field. However, they may not know who is covered by your insurance. You can get a list of names from your doctor, then reach out to them to find out if they’ll take the coverage you have. You can also talk to your insurance company to find out who they cover.

Talk With Others Who Understand

On MyOpioidRecoveryTeam, people share their experiences with opioid use disorder, get advice, and find support from others who understand.

Have you worked with a substance use and addiction therapist? Let others know in comments below.