Thanks for posting, Trying to Understand. As you probably surmise, there's a wide range of therapy options available, and it may take some research for you to find the therapist you want.
Here's a partial list of questions I asked myself:
1.
What would you define as your core challenge, i.e. to address in therapy? For me, I was "stuck" emotionally (and remain so in some ways) during and following my disordered relationship. Somehow, even though it took me a while, I realized that I was "stuck" because I numbed myself from feeling emotions. It has come to light that I had core family of origin issues that kept me stuck in the r/s. I'm working on that stuff now and while it's not always fun... . it has helped.
2.
What type of therapy do you want? You need to read up on the various types, which can address various things. "Talk" therapy is typically psychodynamic, or insight, therapy. "Cognitive Behavioral Therapy" is another type with various iterations, like Schema Therapy. I've searched around here:
www.mentalhelp.net/ , and listened to the podcasts (e.g. one on Schema therapy):
3.
What would be your goals for therapy? Letting go? Figuring out how you participated? Forgiving yourself for the BS that goes along with these types of relationships? For me, it was all of the above.
Some useful links here:
Psychology Today has a good therapist look up:
www.therapists.psychologytoday.com/rms/prof_search.phpDBT Resourceswww.dbtselfhelp.com/html/resources.htmlYour local
NAMI affiliate may have resources for referrals.
