Note: If you are in crisis or feeling suicidal, please dial 2-1-1 or 701-235-7335 to connect to FirstLink’s Information and Referral Hotline. It is a free phone helpline available 24/7 to the public.
Sometimes life can be hard.
Managing work, relationships with family and friends, and raising children can feel like a balancing act. And sometimes it can be helpful to have a nonbiased third party to talk to, and to provide feedback when needed.
Luckily, there are many counselors in Fargo ready and willing to help.
The first question that many people ask when the topic of finding a mental health counselor in Fargo comes up is, “How do I know if I need to seek help?“
Often times, we think we need to look for extremes. We think we (or our children) need to have suicidal thoughts, attempted suicide, or be emotionally melting in order for mental health services to be of help. This couldn’t be further from the truth.
How do I know if I need to seek help?
This is complex. While I couldn’t possibly go over every single event/symptom that may trigger a need for help, I can list some helpful tips to determine if a therapist or counselor could help. When in doubt, seek help.
It may be helpful to seek help if:
- Your emotions feel like they are impacting or interfering with your daily life. For example, have you seen a pattern in not being able to go to work due to your emotional state? Is your child so dysregulated that dropping them off at daycare has become nearly impossible? Have you felt so anxious you can’t fall asleep most nights? If so, it would be a good time to reach out to a mental health therapist.
- There has been an event that keeps replaying over and over in your mind. This might be a disagreement, car accident, sexual assault, natural disaster, death, or another event. If this is happening, it may be helpful to reach out to a therapist.
- You have been consistently struggling to make decisions. I’m not saying just about where to go out to eat, but consistently second-guessing yourself and struggling to move forward on all decisions.
- Your mood has been going up and down consistently. Some days you feel fantastic, only to have it followed by extreme depression. Perhaps one day you are great and the next day you are struggling to keep it together. When we start to see these patterns, it’s a great idea to reach out.
When in doubt, reach out. We have a fantastic community of mental health counselors in the Fargo area that can assist you and your family.
Finding Counselors in Fargo-Moorhead
Finding a counselor can be daunting. What we know about counseling is that it is extremely important to find a counselor that is the right fit. Someone who you trust, that you feel like has your best interest at heart, and that you can open up to. There are many studies out there that say the best predictor of success in therapy is the relationship between the client and therapist. So how do we find the right fit?
Psychology Today
This is an online directory that many mental health clinicians utilize. This site allows you to read a little bit about the counselors in the Fargo area (and beyond), their specialties, insurances accepted, and location.
Read their Biography
Once you have found a therapist or two that seem like they may be a good fit, head on over to their website, which you can typically find in their Psychology Today profile.
Therapists usually have a biography or “about me” page where you can find out a lot more about them. This allows you to get a sense of whether you and the therapist may have similar likes, values, and whether you may work well together. For example, if you are a farm girl and love animals, it would be great to find someone who understands these interest. Or if you are struggling with recovering from a sexual assault, finding a therapist that specializes in this area may be beneficial and comforting to you.
Word of Mouth
If you know someone who has seen a counselor in Fargo, ask them about their experiences. Check with a local Facebook group (like Fargo Moms Group) to see where other moms have found great help. If you are part of any other parenting groups these are great places to start, or with your own circle of friends. Oftentimes, word of mouth is a way we can hear from others who have had success and can give us hope along with some great referral information.
If you are looking for somewhere else to start, we have a great list to start with here of counselors in the Fargo area. Many providers are still offering telehealth services to make sure their clients feel safe and at ease.
I’ll say it again: when in doubt, reach out. There is so much going on right now, and taking care of our mental health is important now more than ever.
