Emotional & Mental Health Resources
These are challenging times as progressive activists defend democracy and witness wars overseas. IGV will host peer support discussions. But we recognize that sometimes more support is needed. We encourage anyone who is feeling emotionally overwhelmed to take care of themselves by seeking professional mental health or pastoral counseling. For pastoral counseling, please contact your church or spiritual community. Here is a partial list of professional mental health counseling and emergency resources:
Psychology Today Therapist Finder: When accessing this directory, you can enter your location, your insurance, and the issues you want addressed. This will bring up profiles of local psychotherapists. Here’s a link: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/wa/vancouver
Goodtherapy.org has a similar therapist finder. https://www.goodtherapy.org/
Insurers can provide a list of in-network psychotherapists and psychiatrists. If access is limited, ask whether you can submit bills for reimbursement or ask a therapist not in their panel to negotiate a single client contract.
Medicare: If you have or qualify for original Medicare or a form of Medicare with an additional company, access to psychotherapists can be limited. You can include “Medicare” or “Medicare Advantage” in your online search. If you’re having difficulty finding a therapist this way, you can contact the Washington State Statewide Health Benefits Advisors (SHIBA), who can offer additional advice. https://www.insurance.wa.gov/statewide-health-insurance-benefits-advisors-shiba
Oregon also has a SHIBA service for Medicare recipients. https://shiba.oregon.gov/Pages/index.aspx
Medicaid and community mental health. For people with limited income, an internet search of "community mental health (or Medicaid services) Clark County WA" can bring up local resources. A directory of community health services in Clark County can also be found at this link: https://clark.wa.gov/community-services
Those searching for a therapist or modality for their specific needs can do an internet search that will bring therapists and associations in those specialties. For instance, someone seeking psychotherapy for trauma can search online and get a list of specialized resources.
Teletherapy. If you don’t easily find someone local and are open to a secure video call, you can access anyone licensed in our state who offers teletherapy services. For example, try the search term “psychotherapist wa state.”
Some people choose to privately pay a therapist where they feel they are a good match, whether or not that person is in their insurance network.
If you need emergency services
If you find yourself or a loved one in crisis and need help right away, here is contact information:
https://clark.wa.gov/community-services/clark-county-crisis-services
Their phone that is staffed all the time is 800.626.8137 | TTY 866.835.2755
For people in or near Portland, OR, Multnomah County offers crisis services through this website: https://www.multco.us/behavioral-health/mental-health-crisis-intervention or by calling their crisis hotline at 503-988-4888 or toll free at 800-716-9769. Anyone who is hearing impaired can dial 7-1-1.
Someone requiring an immediate on scene response in an emergency is advised to dial 9-1-1.
Hospital emergency rooms will address mental health needs. Probably the crisis line is a good place to start.
Another resource is the National Suicide Lifeline available 24/7 at 988 or 800.273.8255.