Finding Your Match: Tips on Finding the Right Therapist For You
Looking for the right therapist can be overwhelming, but with a few simple tips, you can find your perfect match! Before we get into the details, I want you to know that you are interviewing the therapist the same way they will also evaluate if you are a good fit for them. If a therapist says they think you would be a better fit for someone else, please do not take it personally! It may be that they don’t have the modalities or skills that you are looking for, and they want you to get the most out of therapy. I can’t stress enough how important it is for you to find the right therapist for you. Therapy can be fun, exciting, something you look forward to, if you have the right rapport with the therapist. So let’s begin!
Step 1: Consider your specific needs and preferences. What are your goals for therapy? Take time to think about what you're looking for in a therapist and what issues you want to address.
Step 2: Do your research on types of therapies that may appeal to you. There are so many different types of therapy out there it can be overwhelming and anxiety-provoking on knowing what works for you. For example, does Cognitive Behavioural Therapy resonate with you? Or are you more body-oriented and a somatic therapist may be the right fit? And if you don’t know, these are good questions to ask the therapist, about what approach they would use for your particular challenge.
Step 3: Ask friends or colleagues if they have one in mind. If you and your friends are similar in personality, or share the same value systems, their therapist may be a fit for you. If not, thankfully we live in a digital age where you can find all sorts of therapists on search engines! Here are some of the most common search engines and companies that are used for therapy:
www.betterhelp.com (This is strictly for online counselling)
As you are filtering through therapists, look for profiles, photos that resonate with you. Do their bios speak to you? Are they offering what it is you need and are looking for?
Step 4: Set up a few consults. Have a top 3-5 therapists that caught your attention and set up a consult with each of them. In this conversation, you will get to speak with them and have the opportunity for them to ask you more specifically your goals, and for you to ask them questions. Here are some questions to ask the therapist you are speaking with:
Are you available for in-person or online sessions? Where are you located?
What is your rate per session, and are you covered by insurance? (Generally Social Workers are covered under most insurance companies, but if you are interviewing a psychotherapist, just double check because their regulatory college is relatively new)
Do you have experience working with my particular challenges? What would a session look like?
The most important thing to notice, is how easy is the conversation. Is there a natural comfort or flow to the conversation? Is it a light conversation or a heavier conversation? When you finish the call, do you feel excited to start, or do you feel worried or scared? In private therapy, there is no commitment, so you can always set up a first session, and if you feel it was a good fit then continue, and if not, you can continue trying to find the right therapist.
I hope this has helped as you start your therapy journey and if you have any questions, you can always send me an e-mail and I would be happy to answer!