What You Need to Know About Therapy

If you feel you need professional help to better cope with your feelings about having psoriasis, your best first step is to have someone with a similar problem recommend a therapist. Your dermatologist also may be able to make recommendations, as may your local hospital or community health clinic.

Here are some practical tips for making a good choice:

• Talk to a number of therapists before making a preliminary choice.
• Ask for the names of books that describe the type of therapy they practice.
• See a therapist several times before finally deciding if this person is the one for you.
• Consider it a red flag if your questions are dismissed as trivial or unimportant.
• Give the therapy time to work—but don’t wait forever. You should start to feel at least a little better after a few visits.