There are many mental health websites for families. So why did we at www.rtor.org create a new one? The answer is our Directory of Family-Endorsed Providers. The Directory is a listing of mental health providers that have been recommended by a family member of someone who has used their services and vetted by rtor.org’s Advisory Board of experts and family members. No other website offers such a resource.
www.rtor.org is a website for families that helps people find resources and support for loved ones with mental health concerns. Most mental health issues strike early and at home, with family members often in the unexpected role of first responders. Many families go through an initial phase of discovery while they struggle to understand what has happened to their loved one and wonder where to turn for help so recovery can begin.
When I went through such a process of discovery with someone in my own family I did not know what to do or where to turn for help. This is in spite of having worked in the mental health profession in the same community for almost 30 years. I was better prepared than the average family member. But the metal health field covers a lot of ground, with many different specialties and approaches to treatment. Plus, I was no longer acting in my role as a professional helping other people’s kids, but as a parent with my own child in crisis. The choices before my wife and I were overwhelming and at times frightening.
Six years later, we have what I consider to be the optimal treatment and support team in place: the right psychiatrist, therapist, advocate and support professionals. But it took us years to get there. This is what we at www.rtor.org call the “cycle of discovery”: the time it takes to identify a problem, understand the causes, and put together the right combination of services and treatment so recovery can begin.
The most important part of the process for any family is finding the right providers to help a loved one in need. In the case of my own family, we put together the optimal support team based on recommendations from others who had walked this path before us. It was other family members with similar experiences who helped us find the right psychiatrist, therapist, school, and supportive services.
That is why we created our Directory of Family-Endorsed Providers. Sharing this information between families shortens the cycle of discovery and helps them realize they are not alone in their struggles.
As of March 2019, we feature 137 mental health practitioners, programs, and services in our Directory of Family-Endorsed Providers, most of them located in the northeastern United States. We plan to keep adding to that number until there are identified “Resources to Recover” for all families at all stages of the cycle of discovery.
The “Family-Endorsed” logo signifies that a provider has been recommended and endorsed by a family member of someone who has used their services and been vetted by rtor.org’s Advisory Board of family members and professionals.
If you have a loved one who was helped by an exceptional mental health provider please consider making a nomination to our Directory of Family-Endorsed Providers. Our online nomination form makes the process easy, and your confidentiality will be completely guaranteed. You can shorten the cycle of discovery for another family by making a nomination now.
Has someone in your family been helped by a psychiatrist, therapist, or mental health service that you would recommend? Help other families with a nomination to our Directory of Family-Endorsed Providers.
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