Finding the right therapist is often as daunting a task as looking for a suitable mate. After all, your therapist should be someone to whom you make an emotional and financial commitment and whom you might see once a week for a few months to many years. When you are looking for the right therapist, you may feel vulnerable, disempowered, depressed and confused and want to jump at the first therapist who seems kind. DONT! ! Take the time to find a good match.
When looking for he right therapist, listen to your gut as you ask yourself these questions: How long has this person been practicing and do they specialize in my problem area (e.g grief, depression, anger management?) Do they have integrity and dress professionally, appear trustworthy, accepting and caring? Do you feel safe in their presence and comfortable sharing intimate details that perhaps you’ve never shared before? Is this person reliable? Do they return calls or e.mails within a reasonable time frame and begin and end sessions on time? Can you afford their services with your present income? If not, perhaps you have insurance that might cover counseling. Or, you can find a social service agency where they offer lower fees based on income.
What’s more, if this person was referred to you by a friend or relative who already sees this therapist, how will you feel going to the same therapist or possibly running into this person one week?
These are important questions to ask yourself during your search. If you’re lucky or intuitive, you might have a great gut feeling about someone and then it’s a no-brainer. But, otherwise, let these questions guide you.
If you found this blog helpful, please don’t hesitate to e.mail me at nanlcsw@gmail.com or call me at 847.491.1111 to set up an appointment or ask a question. Feel free to pass this on to others. I do this as a free service to promote relationship healing.