How To Choose a Therapist

So you’ve decided to get some help and consult a professional. That’s a great first step, but…now what?!

Most of us go through years of spelunking and soul-searching to find a romantic partner or a best friend. And now you’re looking for someone that you may be confiding in even more. How are you supposed to find someone with whom you’ll feel safe doing such deep work, in a matter of days?

Here are a few of my thoughts on how to choose a therapist who will be ethical, trustworthy, and effective for you:

• Clarify Your Need
  It’s hard to find the right solution if you’re not sure what the problem is. So sit down and do a little inner questioning about what you want from therapy. Try to write down a couple thoughts about what you’re unhappy with or want to change, and what results you hope to get. This will give you something to hold on to while you do your research.  

  BTW, it’s ok if you’re not clear about what you need or what you want. Sometimes that’s exactly the problem people want to work on.

• Do Some Research
  Use the internet to find some therapists in your area. This can be as easy as typing “therapist” and your city’s name into Google. I like doing online research because you get access to so much direct and indirect information.

  For instance, you can learn about a therapist’s location, manner of practice or specialties, and see a photo of them, but you can also get a sense of the person by the look and feel of their website and what they’ve written on it. Is it calm and friendly or no-nonsense and business-like? And which appeals to you? There’s no correct answer; just trust your gut.     

  Here are some other things you should take note of from the websites you check out:

  – Hours and days of operation. Is he/she available when you can come in?
  – Type of service provided. Does she/he specialize or work on the type of thing you are wanting help with?
  – Cost and type of payment. Does the service fee fall into what you can afford? Do you need a therapist who takes insurance?
  – Education and qualifications. Is this person sufficiently credentialed to do this work?
  
  
  Also, if you feel comfortable doing so, try talking to your friends and family to see if anyone might have a good recommendation. Many great therapist/client connections begin with a trustworthy word-of-mouth referral.
  
• Make the Calls
  Now that you’ve done your research and have a short list of some therapists you think you might like, take advantage of the free consultation that most practitioners offer. Give each therapist a call to see how well you connect on the phone. Feel free to ask any questions that may have come up from your research, or tell them a very brief (1-2 minute) summary of what you want to work on.     

  Don’t worry too much about what you should say: a good therapist should be able to direct that consultation call so that both of you get enough information to decide if it’s a good fit.

  Also, allow yourself time to make your decision. There’s no need to commit during this call. You can end the phone call by letting each therapist know that you’re doing some research and will get back to them if you decide you want to book an appointment.

• Trust Your Gut
  I know I’ve said this before, but it’s important. Studies show that the MOST helpful thing, by far, about psychotherapy is the relationship itself. Not the therapeutic method or technique, but simply the power of the connection between client and therapist. So allow yourself to choose someone who feels right for you.

These are the things that I advise therapy-seekers to consider, but there are more ways to go about finding the right practitioner. Check out these “how to choose a therapist” articles for other perspectives:

• Interviewing a Therapist - Seattle Therapy Referral Network
• How to Choose a Therapist - Psychology Today
• How to Find a Good Therapist - Metanoia

And for those who might be wondering, here's a decent "How to Choose a Non-Traditional Healer" article for you.