How to Find The Right Therapist for You

Choosing a psychotherapist can feel like navigating a vast sea of unknowns, especially if it’s your first time seeking mental health support. In this age of misinformation, it can be difficult to distinguish between reality and deception. However, finding the right therapist is a crucial step in your mental health journey. A good match can help you make significant strides in understanding yourself better and developing coping mechanisms for problems that seem beyond your control. Here are some tips to find a therapist who is right for you.

Consider Logistics Logistical factors such as location, availability, and cost matter! Decide if you prefer in-person sessions or if you are open to online therapy. Some therapists offer a hybrid model where you can switch between the two based on your convenience. Research has shown that online therapy is roughly equivalent to traditional therapy in its clinical efficacy and evidence indicates that clients experience a similar level of satisfaction and outcomes when compared to in-person therapy (Thompson, 2016).

Look for Credentials and Experience Every country has its own regulatory body for clinical practice. You have every right to ask for your therapist’s educational background and years of practice. Look for specialists in the areas you’re dealing with, and don’t hesitate to ask about their experience and success in treating issues similar to yours. A higher number of practicing years does not necessarily guarantee better therapy; client experience shows that the age of the therapist has little bearing on how well they are able to empathise with them.

Understand Your Needs Understanding your specific concerns will guide you in finding a therapist with the expertise in those areas. However, correctly identifying your needs from therapy is not a prerequisite. That itself can be a challenging process and the right therapist can help you through it. You are not expected to know whether you have any specific ailments; you are only expected to share your concerns with honesty. Additionally, you don’t need to understand different modalities of therapy before you start, however, the more information you have, the quicker you will find what it right for you.

Seek Recommendations Ask friends, family, or other healthcare providers for recommendations. Personal referrals can provide insight into a therapist’s style and approach. However, bear in mind that the therapist who was great for your best friend, may not be equally perfect for you. When in doubt, Google it! It's a great way to start; you might have to sift through the ads and sponsored content first though.

Ask Questions! Many therapists offer a free initial consultation, or a shorter introductory session. Use this as an opportunity to ask questions about their approach, their experience with your concerns and what a typical session looks like. This is also a chance to assess how comfortable you feel with them. Therapy is a deeply personal experience, and it’s important that you feel a sense of trust and comfort with your therapist. Ask questions about the things important to you, including political judgements, caste and class identities, gender and anything else that is a non-negotiable for you.

Try Someone New The therapeutic alliance is the best indicator of the effectiveness of therapy. A good rapport is critical. Take a moment to evaluate how you feel when you are talking to your therapist. Do you feel comfortable and safe? Do you feel like you are in a non-judgmental space and can speak without having to hold yourself back? Do you feel like this person understands what you are saying? If the answer is no to any of these questions, then consider trying someone new. It is common to have a couple different initial consultations before you land on the person who you feel you want to talk to again. Sometimes it can take a few sessions for you to understand how you feel about the process (Mendez, 2020). It is actually perfectly normal to outgrow your therapist, even if it worked wonders in the beginning.

References

https://www.apa.org/topics/telehealth/online-therapy

Manthei, Robert J., Client choice of therapist: Rationale and implications. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training, Vol 25(3), Fal 1988, 463-470

Mendez, Amanda L., "The Development of a Therapeutic Alliance Focused Intervention" (2020). Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects. 1117.https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/1117

Thompson, Ryan Baird, "Psychology at a Distance: Examining the Efficacy of Online Therapy" (2016). University Honors Theses. Paper 285. https://doi.org/10.15760/honors.292