The Clinical Cookout

  Written by: Amber Dorsey, Psy.D The Clinical Cookout, LLC        Ideally, you want your first appointment to be “perfect”, but remember your therapist is a person too.   They are professionals and they do this a lot, but that doesn’t mean they don’t sometimes get nervous when meeting new clients.   Think about it this way, first impressions are important, but not always deal breakers. Ask if they offer a free, brief consultation so you can feel out the vibe. Tune in to how you feel as you are meeting this person.   Ask them about their professional background, how they handle difficult or uncomfortable conversations, and what approach they tend to use in their practice.   If a consultation is not offered, no biggie!   When you meet them for your intake appointment, you will have the opportunity to do the same.        We all have some level of mistrust in the system, however, there are providers who are passionate about their job and are in it for the right reasons. It is the ther

  Written by: Amber Dorsey, Psy.D The Clinical Cookout, LLC      A common struggle for people searching for mental health services is identifying where to look, what to look for, and what questions to ask. Often, people feel defeated by the initial search and either put off their search or stop looking completely. Luckily, you have The Clinical Cookout on your side to give you a brief, yet informative blog post that outlines the essentials of finding a therapist that can meet your mental health needs.  What type of mental healthcare is right for me?     Simply put, there are two categories of mental healthcare: inpatient and outpatient.   Inpatient care refers to mental health care provided in a facility for a period of at least 24 hours . This includes hospitalization in a psychiatric hospital or psychiatric ward of a general hospital, alcohol and drug rehabilitation facilities, and residential treatment centers. During inpatient treatment, individuals have access to comprehensiv