Finding the Right Therapist
Okay, you’re ready to go to counseling. Mentally the decision has been made, and it feels right. A little scary… but right.
Now what?
The process of finding a counselor can be exhausting. Scrolling through Psychology Today as all of the therapist profiles start to blur together. Waiting on hold with your insurance provider just to find out your options for in-network providers don’t seem like your kind of people AT ALL. Saving up only to realize mental healthcare providers are charging $190/ session which means you’ll need to keep on saving for about the next year. Tiptoeing around the conversation in your social circles… “So, does anyone know any good counselors?” …
crickets…
or maybe horror stories…
or maybe your friends are hoarding all the good therapists and not telling you about them.
You have already done the hard work of making the decision to seek support, just to be faced with what seems like a never ending to-do list before you even get your foot in the door. Friend, keep going.
Research (1) actually shows that the client’s assessment of the therapeutic relationship is one of the strongest predictors for the outcome of therapy. This means it’s worth the pain of searching for the right person to work with, because the way you relate with your therapist impacts how therapy will benefit you.
So, deep breath. You’ve got this. Here are some points of direction to equip you for the search process:
Look for a Free Consultation
If your future therapist isn’t willing to get on the phone with you for a brief chat to ensure you’re comfortable moving forward, is that really the type of person you want caring for your soul? If you need more info on how to engage during a free consultation, check out this blog post for details.
Explore Methodology and Approach
How does your therapist think about helping people? Are they direct? Are they trauma sensitive? Are they solution focused? Or psychoanalytic? Is this going to be strictly talk therapy? Do they believe in homework? If this information isn’t clearly stated on your counselor’s Psychology Today bio or website, you should be able to ask your therapist to describe their approach, and they should be able to answer with words that help you understand the therapeutic process...not just ramble off theoretical jargon and abbreviations.
Find Proof of Training
If you are experiencing any of the symptoms of depression, anxiety, or another mental health concern, it’s going to be important to find someone with a Masters, PhD, or PsyD level of education and a professional license in the state that you reside. Look for those letters after their name (MA, PhD, PsyD), and make sure you are not paying top dollar for therapeutic services from someone with a certification. In Maine, professional license abbreviations include: LPC, LPC-c, LCPC, LCPC-c, LMFT, LMFT-c, or LCSW. The specific abbreviations vary state to state, you can find a list of licenses by state, here.
Check Areas of Expertise
If you are seeking support during a season of infertility, and there is no mention of infertility or women’s issues or family planning or grief in your counselor’s areas of expertise ask if your counselor has experience working with clients around this presenting problem. Just because it isn’t listed, doesn’t mean they won’t be able to support you. However, if the answer is no, don’t feel ONE BIT of awkwardness asking for a recommendation for a counselor who does specialize in your area of need.
Listen to Intuition
Trust your gut. Starting counseling is vulnerable. It involves a lot of uncertainty. It’s normal for our bodies to respond with a little bit of anxiety or nervousness when we start something new. However, if at any point in the process your mind says “Something doesn’t seem right here…”, if you have any questions or concerns that a provider isn’t able to address fully, if you feel like someone is trying to sell you on their “product”, or like your time isn’t being honored and valued… These are important indications about the potential for your therapeutic relationship.
Okay, pep talk over. Go forth and conquer.
Strupp H. H. (2001). Implications of the empirically supported treatment movement for psychoanalysis. Psychoanal. Dialogues 11, 605–61910.1080/10481881109348631
Castonguay L. G., Constantino M. J., Grosse Holtforth M. (2006). The working alliance: where are we and where should we go? Psychotherapy (Chic.) 43, 271–27910.1037/0033-3204.43.3.271
Norcross J. C. (2002). Psychotherapy Relationships That Work: Therapist Contributions and Responsiveness to Patients. New York: Oxford University Press