Searching for Counselling
When individuals, couples, and families decide that it’s time to seek out mental health services, it is a great first step on the journey of healing and self-discovery. Yet there can be challenges in choosing the best therapist to guide you through this journey.
5 Tips to Find the Right Practitioner
Here are 5 tips to help you find a therapist that meets your needs:
1 – Research on local directories such as Psychology Today.
By putting in a postal code you will get a list of local practitioners practicing virtually or in person. Each practitioner has their own profile that will indicate if they are accepting new clients, what their specialties are, and a way to get in touch. The profiles are a good starting point for connecting with therapists and beginning a therapeutic journey.
2 – Ask someone you trust for a recommendation
Asking someone you trust can be a really helpful way to connect with a therapist. You may want to ask a friend, family member, colleague, or even a family doctor. Remember however that the person they recommend may not be the right person for you as your needs and goals may be different. Most therapists offer a free meet and greet, this would be a good place to speak with them and see if you would make a good fit to work together.
3 – Have an idea of what your goals of therapy are
Are you trying to move past a difficult break-up? Do you need time and space to talk about your life experiences? Is it that you want to work to develop healthy coping strategies? You don’t need to have it all figured out by the first session, but having an idea of what you hope to gain can help in narrowing down the skill sets of the therapist you are hoping for.
4 – Book a free meet and greet and develop a few questions to ask
Meeting with a potential therapist prior to a first appointment can be really helpful in assessing fit. It is also time to ask questions to see if this is the person you want to work with.
Common questions:
What experience do you have working with _______________?
Why did you choose to be a counsellor/psychotherapist?
How will we know I am making progress?
Find more common questions here
5 – Above all trust your intuition
Sometimes it is not about the therapist’s titles, years in practice, and spealiziations. It is important to trust your own senses if you feel that someone will work with you or not.
Questions to consider:
- Do I feel comfortable talking to them?
- How am I feeling after our meet and greet?
- Is this the person I feel will support me in my therapeutic journey?
Reach out for Support
These are just some tips to get started on your process for finding a therapist. It is brave to reach out for support when you are experiencing hardships in your life. There are a ton of brilliant, compassionate, and diverse practitioners there to support you in these journeys.
More information about my counselling/psychotherapy practice
For more information about my practice and book a free 15-minute consultation check out:
Incase you missed it check out 5 Signs its Time to Consider Talk Therapy
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