Counseling in Oklahoma City, OK. Find the Right Therapist.

Related Sites:
Oklahoma City Convention and Visitors Bureau
State Board of Behavioral Health Licensure

Therapist Oklahoma City Oklahoma

Counseling Midwest City, Moore, Bethany, Warr Acres, Del City, Edmond, Yukon, Spencer

Oklahoma City is a fast-growing, vibrant city with more attractions than one could imagine. Regardless of age, there truly is something for children, teenagers, and adult family members. Make your way down to Bricktown, one of the most visited destinations within the city. Here you can enjoy a river walk with multiple festive shops and restaurants along the Bricktown Canal. Then stroll on over to the city's National Memorial, which honors the victims of the 1995 Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building terrorist attack.¹ However, if you are looking for a more light-hearted attraction for your children and teenagers, visit the Oklahoma City Zoo which features nearly 3,000 animals. Here your family can enjoy everything from dolphins and sea lions to nature classes of all types. The Myriad Botanical Gardens is another hot spot within the area that is specifically great for a family entertainment. For sports fans, take in an Oklahoma City Thunder NBA game at Chesapeake Energy Arena, right in the heart of downtown.

Mental Health in Oklahoma City

Over 13 percent of adult Oklahoma residents have experienced major psychological distress in the past year, which is one of the highest rates in the nation. Depression is also common, with nearly 8 percent of residents having a major depressive episode in the past twelve months.² Many cases of psychological distress stem from dramatic weather events, such as tornadoes, that often terrorize the Oklahoma City area. As such, many mental health providers offer services for people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

Heartline is a community crisis intervention agency that focuses especially on reducing the incidence of suicide in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. Heartline offers free intervention and prevention programs to local schools that help empower students to prevent suicide among their peers. These programs provide the necessary knowledge and tools in order to recognize the signs of suicide. Additionally, the programs seek to dispel stigmas regarding suicidal thoughts and the underlying problems that lead one to contemplate taking their own life. Additional information about the programs offered by Heartline is available by calling 1-877-362-1606.³

Current Education

Those who want to enter the behavioral health field in Oklahoma must first obtain the proper education. Oklahoma City University offers a Master's Degree program in Applied Behavioral Studies that gives students the foundational and practical knowledge required to work in the field. The program is based on the practitioner-wellness model, which emphasizes the personal growth of the clinician-in-training as part of the toolkit for helping others. The program requires 60 credit hours of coursework, including field experiences. Graduates are eligible for licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor through the Oklahoma Board of Behavioral Health. Additional information about the program is available by calling 405-208-5387.⁴

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References

1. Oklahoma City National Memorial. (2017). Home - Oklahoma City National Memorial. Retrieved from http://www.oklahomacitynationalmemorial.org/
2. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2008). State Estimates of Substance Abuse and Mental Health. Retrieved from http://oas.samhsa.gov/2k5State/OklahomaMH.htm
3. Heartline. (2017). Suicide Prevention and Outreach Programs. Retrieved from http://heartlineoklahoma.org/our-programs/suicide-prevention-and-outreach-programs/
4. Oklahoma City University. (2017). Master's in Counseling. Retrieved from http://www.okcu.edu/education/programs/graduate/professional-counseling/

Oklahoma City is a city that is located in multiple counties- Canadian County and Pottawatomie County and Oklahoma County and Cleveland County in Oklahoma. It has a land area of 606.30 square miles and a water area of 14.38 square miles.  The population of Oklahoma City is 631,346 people with 232,254 households and a median annual income of $47,779. .

Therapy Affordability Meter for Oklahoma City, OK

Some budgeting needed

While counseling can certainly be an expense for individuals and families in Oklahoma City, with proper budgeting, it is entirely do-able and the risk/reward is worth it. For some families, it may be difficult to sustain a commitment to therapy without proper insurance coverage. If this is you, ask your therapist about low cost options as practitoners in and around Oklahoma City may have flexibility or sliding scales. Low cost counseling and affordable therapy are also sometimes offered by listed city and university level clinics, check with your local Oklahoma City public health department.