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How to Choose a Provider
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1. Locate two or more providers
currently available for New Clients. We do our best to keep
our online directory up-to-date but a provider's availability may have
changed since the last update. Please contact a few providers to locate
one or more currently available for New Clients.
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2. Tell prospective providers about
your experience. Speak with prospective provider on the
telephone and tell him/her that you are a veteran or a family member of
a veteran. Share a brief explanation of the issues affecting you.
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3. Ask prospective providers about
their experience. While speaking with prospective providers on
the telephone, ask about their experience working with the specific
issues that are affecting you. Listen to how each provider conveys an
understanding of how your experiences might be affecting you and/or
your family. Providers may not be familiar with the military culture,
but they must demonstrate a willingness to understand your culture and
experience.
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4. Make notes. When
contacting more than one provider, it can be helpful to make a few
notes about each one's experience and how you felt when speaking with
him/her.
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5. Think about it. You may
feel comfortable with a provider while speaking with him/her and
confident that you would like to schedule a session right away, or you
may want some time to consider who feels "right" for you. You may tell
a provider when speaking with him/her that before you schedule a
session you would like to take a little time to think it over and be
certain you're making the best choice for you.
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6. Choose a provider. When
making the choice, consider which counselor you felt most comfortable
talking with on the telephone. Trust your inner compass or intuition if
a provider feels "right" for you. Call your provider of choice, tell
him/her that you were referred by the Returning Veterans Project, and
ask to schedule an appointment.
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