Find a therapist who fits your life and needs

You deserve a therapist who understands your schedule, your values, and what you're facing. This guide is for individuals, parents, couples, veterans, and athletes in Ankeny and Des Moines.

Ankeny Family Counseling offers immediate openings, accepts all major insurances, and provides secure telehealth counseling in Iowa and flexible evening and weekend hours.

You’ll get a compassionate, practical checklist to compare license and credentials, modality fit, insurance and network status, availability (including telehealth), specialty experience, reviews, and how you feel in a first consult.

Confirm the license and specialty so you get the right care

Not all therapists can do the same work. Some diagnose and treat mental disorders. Others provide therapy only under supervision.

Start by checking the therapist's license with the Iowa Board of Behavioral Health Professionals. That tells you they are legally allowed to practice in Iowa and what scope they have.

Look for common Iowa licenses on profiles. A Licensed Mental Health Counselor, or LMHC, usually has a master's degree, about 3,000 hours of supervised clinical work, and has passed the national exams. An LMHC can diagnose and treat mental and emotional disorders.

Read a therapist profile like a pro

• Check the license type first. LMHCs, LISWs/LMSWs, and LMFTs each have different training and practice scopes.
• Confirm supervised hours and years of experience. More supervised clinical time usually means deeper hands‑on training.
• Scan listed specialties and modalities. If you need trauma care, look for EMDR, trauma‑focused CBT, or similar training.
• Look for specialty certifications. EMDRIA certification signals extra supervised EMDR experience beyond basic training.
• Note professional memberships and consultation history. Memberships in state or modality groups suggest ongoing learning and peer review.
• Check practical details that affect care. Ask whether they accept your insurance, offer telehealth, or work with veterans or children.

If trauma is a concern, prioritizing clinicians with advanced EMDR training makes a difference. Read clinician profiles and then ask about their supervised EMDR cases during a consult. For performance or sports issues, you might also look for a therapist who works with Certified Mental Performance Consultants or has sports psychology experience.

Want a deeper look at EMDR and how clinicians train in it? Read our guide to EMDR therapy for details and what to ask in your first session: How EMDR therapy helps you heal from trauma.

Exact questions to ask on your first call

Not sure what to ask on that first phone call? A short checklist makes it easy to compare therapists and feel confident about fit.

Research from Psychology Today shows targeted questions help you assess style, experience, and logistics.

• What is your primary therapy approach and why do you use it?
• Are you more directive or client led during sessions?
• Do you assign skills or homework between sessions?
• How do you define progress and how often will we review goals?
• Do you have experience treating my concern, such as trauma, anxiety, or teen behavior?
• How do you incorporate cultural, faith, or LGBTQ+ identities into care?
• What are your session length, typical frequency, and availability for evenings or weekends?
• What is your cancellation policy, fees, and do you accept my insurance?
• What are the confidentiality limits I should know about?

Insurance verification: call member services with these details

1. Have the therapist's full name and their NPI ready before you call your insurer.
2. Ask if the therapist is in network and whether prior authorization is required.
3. Confirm deductible status, your co pay or co insurance, and any session limits per year.
4. Verify telehealth coverage and any platform or place of service rules.
5. Record the rep's name, call reference number, and save any emails for your records.

Deciding between telehealth and in‑person care

Telehealth works well for many issues and can increase convenience and completion rates, according to telehealth research.

Make choice based on privacy at home, severity of your symptoms, and reliable internet or device access.

Telehealth requires a stable connection, a webcam or phone mic, and a HIPAA-compliant platform with a Business Associate Agreement.

Read our guide to telehealth logistics and how to prepare for virtual sessions: Telehealth counseling in Iowa: what to expect.

Quick takeaway: use the checklist above on your first call, verify benefits with member services, and pick the modality that fits your privacy and clinical needs.

Match specialist skills to your situation: kids, couples, veterans, athletes, and identity‑affirming care

Not every therapist is equally effective for every problem. Match the therapist's training to the specific need and you'll see faster, safer progress.

Children and teens: choose age‑appropriate, parent‑included care

For younger children, evidence supports play therapy to let kids express feelings through play rather than words. Parent‑Child Interaction Therapy, or PCIT, is the gold standard for disruptive behaviors in ages two to seven and uses live parent coaching to change interactions.

Older kids and teens often benefit from CBT, DBT skills training, or Trauma‑Focused CBT depending on needs. We recommend therapists who include parents through consults or coached sessions while keeping clear confidentiality boundaries for the child.

Learn more about choosing a qualified play therapist in our guide: Helping kids cope: how play therapy supports emotional growth

Couples: pick Gottman for skills or EFT for emotional repair

The Gottman Method focuses on practical communication and conflict tools to reduce criticism, contempt, defensiveness, and stonewalling. Emotionally Focused Therapy, or EFT, targets attachment wounds and rebuilding secure emotional bonds between partners.

For high‑conflict or separation work, choose a therapist who actively manages sessions, interrupts harmful cycles calmly, and does not take sides. Experience with divorce, co‑parenting plans, and trauma‑informed methods is a clear plus.

Veterans and caregivers: verify VA Community Care participation and credentials

If you want care billed through the VA, confirm the provider participates in the VA Community Care program and is credentialed to accept VA authorizations.

The VA process starts with a VA clinician referral, then VA review and authorization, then an authorization letter with details and scheduling instructions. Three steps to access Community Care

Athletes: decide between mental performance coaching and clinical care

A Certified Mental Performance Consultant focuses on mental skills like focus, confidence, and routines for performance enhancement. A licensed sport psychologist can treat clinical issues that hurt performance, like anxiety or disordered eating.

Good providers use structured mental skills training, assign practice between sessions, and track progress with mental skills or outcome measures.

Quick red flags to watch for

• The therapist says one approach fits all problems without asking about your specific history.
• They refuse reasonable parent involvement for kids or cannot explain confidentiality limits with minors.
• A couples therapist avoids managing heated sessions or quickly aligns with one partner.
• A provider is unfamiliar with VA Community Care steps yet offers to bill the VA without written authorization.
• A sports consultant cannot describe outcome measures or give practical mental skills to practice between sessions.
• A faith‑integrated or LGBTQ+ clinician avoids discussing how they respectfully and ethically incorporate identity or faith into care.

Match the right modality to your need, confirm relevant training, and trust how you feel in the first consult. That combination tells you who will help most.

Make confident choices and track real progress

Feeling overwhelmed by therapist choices? Use this checklist to compare licenses, modality fit, insurance and telehealth options, availability, specialties, reviews, and how you feel in a first consult.

Early signs of a strong therapeutic alliance are trust, emotional safety, clear collaborative goals, and measurable early gains. Watch for red flags like boundary problems, persistent lack of progress, or values that clash with yours.

Track your work with SMART goals and simple outcome measures. Reassess fit every 6 to 12 sessions or sooner if you feel stuck or your goals change.

If you'd like help using this checklist to find compassionate, qualified care in Ankeny, Ankeny Family Counseling is here. Call us at (515) 508-1150 or email a2p@mytherapyflow.com to schedule a consult.