Finding a Headache Psychologist

Finding a headache psychologist if you have Medi-Cal

1. Call your local county mental health office to request services. To find the number, search "[county name] behavioral health access" or "[county name] mental health access."
2. Call the number and explain – either in a voicemail message or to the person who answers – that you are looking for child or adolescent therapy services. Provide the following information: your name and your child’s name, your insurance and your location. Patients over age 18 must make the call themselves or together with a caregiver.
3. You'll complete an initial screening by phone or in person. The process and assessments vary by county, but make sure to.
   • Be specific about emotional health and related symptoms (such as depression and anxiety) and the impact of these symptoms on your child's life (related to things like school, concentration and sleep).
   • During this assessment, request cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Expertise in other chronic pain techniques is helpful but not necessary for headache care, and CBT tools are applicable to a wide variety of issues.
   • When the assessment is complete, you may be assigned a therapist within the county system or referred to an outside provider.
4. At your first session, provide your child's therapist with the document titled "An Introduction to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Pediatric Migraine for Mental Health Providers."
5. Your child should attend at least two visits with the same mental health provider before deciding whether it's a good fit. If you and your child feel a different therapist would be beneficial, talk to the current therapist or clinic staffers about finding an alternative. 

Finding a headache psychologist if you have private insurance

1. Call your health insurance provider and ask about mental and behavioral health benefits as well as the co-pay.
2. Once you have this information, go to the Psychology Today website and use the "Find a Therapist" search option to locate providers in your zip code. To filter by insurance company and patient age, click on the “All Filters” button and scroll down to find those categories.
   • For the "Specialties" field, we recommend selecting "Chronic Pain." However, in many areas, this search term may be too limiting. Since chronic pain expertise is helpful but not necessary when finding a therapist to treat headaches, and CBT is effective for a range of issues, try also searching another one of the listed specialties that impacts your child, such as depression or anxiety.
   • For the "Types of Therapy" field, we suggest selecting "Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)," unless your child's provider gives you different guidance.
3. Find at least five therapists to call. Ask each:
   • Are you taking new patients? If not, how long is your waiting list?
   • Do you accept my child's insurance?
   • Do you have experience with CBT?
   • Are you experienced in treating children with chronic headaches?
4. At your child's first session, provide the therapist with the document titled "An Introduction to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Pediatric Migraine for Mental Health Providers."
5. Your child should attend at least two sessions with the same provider before the two of you decide whether it's a good fit.