How to choose a Therapist

Contemplating the possibility to look for professional help, whatever your reason may be, can be an ambivalent and difficult decision, and once you have made that decision, you are beginning a journey that takes courage and trust. After all, a therapist, a counselor, or a group, will accompany you throughout that journey to the most sensitive places of your life, and choosing who that person shall be is an important task. 

Unfortunately, many clients feel intimidated to ask open questions to the professional they are meeting for the very first time, or believe that they are obligated to come back once they have been to a first consultation. So your first step in choosing a therapist is to realize that to get to the person you will finally end up working with, you are allowed to ask questions and sometimes it might take several initial consultation sessions before you find the person who you will end up working with. 

Some ways to go about finding someone to work with is to ask your friends, your general practitioner, your pastor, a local support group, or go through the listings on our website. Next, you should ask yourself if there are some basic characteristics that your practitioner should meet that might matter to you; for example, gender, age, ethnic or racial background, language skills, cross-cultural experience, sexual orientation, or other characteristics. You might be clear that you will be more comfortable working with a woman, or with someone who shares your own ethnic and cultural experience, or you prefer working with someone in your native language. 

Once you have narrowed down your search, you should set up a few appointments and meet a few professionals. Be prepared to ask some basic questions, such as: What is their training? Are they experienced working with someone with your area of concern? What are their areas of expertise? What are their fees, what insurances do they accept, or do they offer services for private pay? A professional service provider will gladly answer any questions you have, and how they encounter you in the first session will give you a good idea about how comfortable you are with them. This might be the most important guideline in picking your therapist: trust your guts. Listen closely to how you are reacting, to what you might respond to positively, and assess if you can see yourself finding trust and comfort with this person. If the answer is yes, you are off to a good start.

Once you have made a choice, and have worked with a professional for some time, you should continue to ask the question if and how therapy has proven to be helpful to you. This is a question you can even discuss openly with your therapist, and it might help the two of you assess how the journey is coming along, if you have missed any major road signs, or missed an important turn. No matter what, therapy is the place to speak your mind, and we encourage you to do so. 

Good luck on your journey. Download this Resource ⬇︎