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How to Find a Pediatric Psychologist

Many children could benefit from services provided by a licensed psychologist. This resource is intended to be a step-by-step guide to help you find an appropriate psychologist for your referral concerns.

  • Call your insurance provider or go to your insurance provider’s  website and get a list of the psychologists that are covered by your insurance
  • Look through this list to determine which psychologist’s services match your needs
  • If possible, contact the office of more than one psychologist before setting up an appointment. You may want to ask about the following:
    • Theoretical orientation (i.e. “What is your theoretical orientation as a therapist?”)
      • We recommend that you find a pediatric/child behavioral psychologist or pediatric/child cognitive behavioral psychologist.
      • You may ask the specific question about orientation provided as an example; however if you don’t understand their answer, ask them to explain what they mean
    • Experience with problems similar to yours.  Be specific (i.e. managing pain, anxiety, preparation for a medical test, etc.)
    • Types of services provided (i.e. Individual Therapy, Family Therapy, etc.)
    • Training that they have received (i.e. Ph.D., Psy.D., etc.)
    • Cost of service
  • Determine which psychologist is the best match for your current needs and set up an appointment with this individual.

PLEASE NOTE: If you feel that services are needed on an emergency basis, call your local emergency number (e.g. 911) or contact a mental health crisis hotline.
 

More Resources

The American Psychological Association (APA) has developed an online locator service, which may help you with this process. To use this service, go to their website, enter your zip code or a city and state and click “Search”. Please note that APA does not have any control over these agencies or providers and is not liable for any decision or action taken by these referral services. Additional mental health resources can be found by following APA help center on Twitter (@APAHelpCenter) and YouTube (APA Help Center).

To find a psychologist in Valley Children’s Pediatric Psychology department, or for further information, please call 559-353-6735