I remember the first time I was looking for a therapist many years ago. It was a daunting task trying to find and choose a therapist to work with. Through some trial and error, I stumbled my way through the search process.
After many years of practicing marriage and family therapy one of my primary goals is to help my prospective clients discover for themselves if I am a good fit to work with them. It is so important that you as a client feel empowered to make a confident and informed choice when looking for a therapist.
Here are some ideas to empower you in your search for a good fit therapist.
Referrals Help
Sometimes asking people you trust for referrals can be a helpful place to begin your search for a therapist. Browsing the internet can be an overwhelming task as you comb through thousands of options. You can save yourself time and energy if you are able to acquire some referrals and look at the therapists’ online information to see which you may want to contact for taking your next step.
Ask the Therapist A lot of Questions
You are allowed to ask the therapist questions. Interview the therapist.
- How long have you been practicing?
- What are your therapeutic specialities?
- How much experience do you have working with (name the challenge, issue, problem)?
- What other questions would you recommend me asking you to determine if you are a good fit therapist?
A therapist should confidently answer your questions as long as they are professional and ethical in their nature. If you sense any defensiveness in the therapist for being questioned, you may want to consider or make a note of this reaction.
Trust Your Gut
You have probably heard this statement before in your life. It is important part of choosing a good fit therapist. When you are meeting or talking to the potential therapist for the first time, check in with your intuition to see if you can get a sense of the rapport, empathy, compatibility or connection you are experiencing with the therapist. This may take some time to figure out so I would encourage you to be patient. But keep checking in with yourself about your fit with the therapist. Just remember that anytime you need to make a change or find another therapist you have the right to do so.
