Finding the Right Therapist for You
1. Ask other professionals for recommendations; e.g., ask your primary care physician, psychiatrist, or alternative health care practitioner.
2. Consider asking other people you know for recommendations (a friend of a friend); although you do not want to be in therapy with a close friend’s therapist; e.g., it potentially runs into boundary violations.
3. Look at different websites. Although, it is difficult to really know if there will be a good connection with someone, you do want to know something about their background. Someone can look good “on paper” but not “mesh” well with you. Follow your “gut” instincts when you meet with a health care professional of any type. (Not every good therapist has a website.)
4. Make the first call. There’s a balance of, on one hand, keeping yourself informed, looking at all the information, and giving yourself time to absorb the data. On the other hand, it’s a big leap of faith to make the call and walk into someone’s office. It takes some courage!
5. Ask about fees. If you are utilizing your insurance, call the insurance company to make sure that they know that you are seeing this therapist so that it is “pre-authorized” Find out about the co-payments/co-insurance from the insurance company. You can schedule a one-time appointment to discuss with a therapist further about the pros and cons of using health insurance vs. paying privately.
6. Inquire about the therapist’s credentials and length of practice when meeting with them for the first time. Don’t be afraid to ask these questions. Their certificates should be visible, by law.
7. Disclose to the therapist, if you feel comfortable, the general nature of your issues, and ask them if they feel comfortable working with these types of issues.
8. Talk to the therapist about their expectations of weekly, bi-weekly meetings, or twice a week meetings.
9. Invite your senses to experience the environment around you. How does the office environment feel to you; e.g., the actual office staff, the waiting room, the office furniture, the other counselors in the office?
10. Do you feel really heard and understood by this therapist? If not, could you clarify your needs so that you could get what you really need out of therapy.
11. Requesting a referral is well within your rights if you don’t think this is a good match for you. Not every therapist matches well with every person who walks through the door. Therapists shouldn’t take this personally, and after talking with you they may be able to recommend a better fit.
12. Take charge of your therapy—even if you are not feeling great at the time. If the therapy isn’t progressing as you expected, discuss this with your therapist. The two of you may need to re-establish some goals, collaborate, re-prioritize, and take a different tack. However, if you do not find this satisfactory, and you decide to leave therapy with this person, consider asking your therapist someone with whom you might be able to work.
13. Overall, the most important piece of information here is to respect your intuition about the fit and connection regarding your therapist. A strong working alliance is an essential key to the process of therapy.
HOME FINDING THE RIGHT THERAPIST PRACTICE INFORMATION RESOURCES BOOK REVIEWS FORMS CONSULTATION CLINICAL SUPERVISION MAP & CONTACT INFORMATION
2. Consider asking other people you know for recommendations (a friend of a friend); although you do not want to be in therapy with a close friend’s therapist; e.g., it potentially runs into boundary violations.
3. Look at different websites. Although, it is difficult to really know if there will be a good connection with someone, you do want to know something about their background. Someone can look good “on paper” but not “mesh” well with you. Follow your “gut” instincts when you meet with a health care professional of any type. (Not every good therapist has a website.)
4. Make the first call. There’s a balance of, on one hand, keeping yourself informed, looking at all the information, and giving yourself time to absorb the data. On the other hand, it’s a big leap of faith to make the call and walk into someone’s office. It takes some courage!
5. Ask about fees. If you are utilizing your insurance, call the insurance company to make sure that they know that you are seeing this therapist so that it is “pre-authorized” Find out about the co-payments/co-insurance from the insurance company. You can schedule a one-time appointment to discuss with a therapist further about the pros and cons of using health insurance vs. paying privately.
6. Inquire about the therapist’s credentials and length of practice when meeting with them for the first time. Don’t be afraid to ask these questions. Their certificates should be visible, by law.
7. Disclose to the therapist, if you feel comfortable, the general nature of your issues, and ask them if they feel comfortable working with these types of issues.
8. Talk to the therapist about their expectations of weekly, bi-weekly meetings, or twice a week meetings.
9. Invite your senses to experience the environment around you. How does the office environment feel to you; e.g., the actual office staff, the waiting room, the office furniture, the other counselors in the office?
10. Do you feel really heard and understood by this therapist? If not, could you clarify your needs so that you could get what you really need out of therapy.
11. Requesting a referral is well within your rights if you don’t think this is a good match for you. Not every therapist matches well with every person who walks through the door. Therapists shouldn’t take this personally, and after talking with you they may be able to recommend a better fit.
12. Take charge of your therapy—even if you are not feeling great at the time. If the therapy isn’t progressing as you expected, discuss this with your therapist. The two of you may need to re-establish some goals, collaborate, re-prioritize, and take a different tack. However, if you do not find this satisfactory, and you decide to leave therapy with this person, consider asking your therapist someone with whom you might be able to work.
13. Overall, the most important piece of information here is to respect your intuition about the fit and connection regarding your therapist. A strong working alliance is an essential key to the process of therapy.
HOME FINDING THE RIGHT THERAPIST PRACTICE INFORMATION RESOURCES BOOK REVIEWS FORMS CONSULTATION CLINICAL SUPERVISION MAP & CONTACT INFORMATION