How to choose a therapist (A guide)

In this brief guide, we will be discussing what needs to be done in choosing a therapist, several therapies that are available in the country, and tips that can help you choose a therapist.

How do I start in choosing a therapist?

In choosing a therapist, you can start by what you need in a therapist and what the therapist should be helping you with such as being aware of the mental health problem that you are in need of help with.

The knowledge of what you want out of therapy can help you find the best therapist for you who can help you with your mental health problems in the long run.

When this kind of situation happens, you will be rewarded greatly in your wellbeing.

Research has shown that a good therapeutic relationship can foster good mental wellbeing in the client. 

With this ingredient, optimistic changes will be evident in your behaviours in daily life.

The following are steps you need to take in order to choose the therapist just for your mental health needs.

Find a great therapist near your location

Scrolling down in the endless list of therapists can make you more confused about picking the right choice.

To lessen the confusion, you should narrow the therapist options that are laid out for you. 

This technique can help you sort out the right therapist for you and deleting those options that don’t suffice your need.

In a minute, you will be able to get the top 10 therapists that can guarantee that your mental health needs are met.

You can sort out your list of therapists by buying this notepad on this website.

Read through your list and use your intuition

You’re going to have a long time searching through your list of chosen therapists and reading their quotes and services.

This can help you get a gut feeling of the right therapist for you and a professional choosing from the chosen therapists. 

Other people would recommend that you need to choose the therapist that has the same life experiences as you.

You shouldn’t focus too much on their appearances but some people can’t help that they get convinced to those with huge smiles on their faces. 

Expressing your mental health problems is never easy and this is why choosing the right therapist for you is important.

Be direct on what you want out of therapy

You should always be kind to yourself and you can start by not taking this step too seriously.

Most people are looking for therapy to search for some completion about some life problems and not because they are already sure of everything. 

You aren’t meant to make the perfect plan in choosing a therapist.

It is fine if you go into therapy even when you are clueless about what you want out of it. 

This is in itself an indication that you really need therapy. 

You can even go to therapy even if you have simple inquiries such as what you want in your life.

You can get yourself some following ideas that can help you settle into therapy:

• Do you want to immediately resolve symptoms?

• Do you feel that something you experienced in your previous years might be affecting your present, and you’d like to discover it further?

• Do you feel like you’ve lost your way and you’d like to get clearer on what you really want and need in life?

• Do you keep repeating specific actions or patterns that you feel are holding you back?

• Do you simply want the space and time to be completely listened and work toward your own self-development?

It’s not embarrassing if you feel you have all these questions listed above.

In any case, you don’t have the obligation to narrow much about your options. 

People go to a therapist for different and unique reasons.

This is why there are various therapies that are available for you to choose and can help you with your mental health needs.

You can even read one of the most famous therapies by buying this book on this website.

Whatever your reasons for therapy, you having a better idea of what you need in therapy will set you up for the next tip.

Get a preview of the different therapeutic models

It’s not that difficult to get the inside scoop of each psychological therapy available.

You should get a preview fo these kinds of therapies since these are all you need to find the right therapist for you. 

This is also because too much information about psychological therapy might confuse you more and lessen your confidence in your chosen therapist.

Once you’ve got clear on what you want from therapy, you can have a quick browse through the different types of therapy and what these therapies all mean. 

If you’re lacking time in researching psychological therapies, here are some famous psychological therapies to help you narrow your search for the right therapist:

• Psychoanalytic and psychodynamic therapies for disturbed clients

Intense and longer-term, looking at your past.

Believes that hidden childhood memories and emotions shape our present and seek to unravel them, bringing them into awareness.

• Cognitive and behavioural therapies

Outcome-driven and short-term, only looking at presenting symptoms.

Focus on overhauling the way you think and behave to help you get through life with a healthier outlook.

• Humanistic therapies

Focus on self-exploration to be aware of your own truths, short or long-term.

Emphasizing the belief that distressing events can send us off-track but we all have the ability to find our way back to our unique path in life.

• Arts therapies

Non-verbal methods such as art, drama, and music.

Motivate creativity as a mean of working with distressing emotions and events.

You are more likely to find therapists working with various therapies at the same time.

This can happen since the therapist is attempting to adjust the service for this or her unique clients. 

For instance, you may find a therapist who uses CBT combined with psychoanalysis to help you with your presenting symptoms.

When you’re clear about what you are looking for, you can use the information above to help you find the therapy for you.

You also need to remember not to get carried away with the number of therapies around you. 

Remember the therapeutic relationship

Research on therapies has indicated that it doesn’t matter what the therapist’s qualifications are and the approach of therapy used by the therapist.

However, the most contributing factor is the connectedness between the therapist and the client.

This is called the therapeutic relationship which you can learn more about by reading this book on this website.

What does it imply to have a good therapeutic relationship?

Having a good therapeutic relationship means having the confidence in opening up to the therapist since you have trust in the therapist with this kind of relationship.

However, there is no immediate rule in making this connection with your therapist. 

At times, the sparks are flying there but at other times, it’s lost. Most people can find this connection with their gut feeling. 

In this case, you should follow your instinct about the therapist.

The need for this relationship is one of the reasons why the therapist start with phone consultations if the client inquires about them. 

This is an opportunity for both of you to get to know each other better.

A chat on the phone will give you access to let the therapist know about your needs and through the talking, you might feel that connection between you two. 

You should speak to 2-3 therapist to help you find the right therapist for you.

In relation to this relationship, you should remember the three C’s which are clarity, comfort, and communication.

Like all relationships, trust should be the foundation of the therapeutic relationship.

This can help you be more comfortable about meeting them almost every day in the week. 

This will also help you feel more expressive about your inner troubles as well.

If you are able to reach this comfort with your therapist, you are able to communicate freely with your therapist. 

Of course, some topics are easier to come out than others.

The therapist will simply nudge to explore new spaces but still making you feel comfortable in the therapy session. 

This can occur when you are able to communicate freely and minimize some boundaries with your therapist.

You may even find therapy to be progressing if you have a good therapeutic relationship with your therapist. 

When you are open to your therapist, you are more likely to accept that is elicited in therapy.

In this case, choosing the right therapist for you is like finding the right romantic partner for you. 

You don’t need to worry if you can’t get the right therapist for you in the first steps.

You’ll just need to take your time in meeting several therapists again.

Like dating, you really have to play the playing field in order to find the therapist that matches your needs.

Can therapy really help me?

Yes, therapy can really help you depending on the severity of your mental health problems.

Therapy can really help people with their different shades of mental health problems such as the following:

• anxiety or an inability to overcome or concentrate
• difficulties coping with stress or overcoming distressing situations
• lack of self-confidence or excessive shyness
• dealing with the effects of abuse
• feelings of depression, grief, sadness or emptiness
• Extreme labile mood swings
• Problems with making or sustaining relationships or repeatedly becoming engaged in unsatisfying or volatile relationships
• sexual difficulties
• problems coming to terms with losses such as bereavement, loss of employment or divorce
• eating disorders
• self-harm
• obsessive actions
• panic attacks and specific phobias
• addiction.

Your therapist will help you find ways to deal with your problems and the causes behind these kinds of problems.

With these techniques in mind, you are set to achieve your goal of attaining healthy mental wellbeing.

You can learn more about the different psychological disorders that are treated in therapy by buying this book on this website.

Where you can access therapeutic services?

You can access therapies in the following services that are accessible to you:

Mental health services in the NHS

Your general practitioner can refer you to a therapist in the NHS and will make sure that your mental health needs are taken into account.

The NHS gives therapies in the areas of the IAPT program. 

Some of these therapies have a self-referral choice if you desire this option.

These mental health services can be inquired through the NHS Search Finder.

You shouldn’t be surprised that there is a long waiting list to get your first appointment with the therapist in the NHS.

You can learn more about what the NHS can offer you by buying this book here.

Mental health services at work

Your employer may provide therapy services in the Employee Assistance Program.

These programs are for employers to help them improve better by knowing what may have created a huge impact on how the employee is working which can be caused by a dysfunction in mental health.

Mental health services in school

Many educational institutions have confidential counselling and therapy services.

You can find out what these mental health services are in your school and make an appointment through online means.

As a parent, you can speak with the child’ teacher or the headmaster to access therapy for your troubled child.

If the school has a counsellor, you can ask your children to approach and be listened to by the counsellor.

Mental health charities and volunteering services

Some mental health charities offer therapy for free and also specializing in a variety of mental health issues.

There is a possibility that there are mental health charities in your location. 

Private mental health services

Private therapists can cost in different expenses but it depends on the location of the private therapy.

Some of these therapists may provide a free first pscyhological assessment and ongoing therapy at a low price if the patient has a low income.

Side Note: I have tried and tested various products and services to help with my anxiety and depression. See my top recommendations here, as well as a full list of all products and services our team has tested for various mental health conditions and general wellness.

Conclusion

In this brief guide, we will have discussed what needs to be done in choosing a therapist, several therapies that are available in the country, and tips that can help you choose a therapist.

If you have any questions about tips on choosing a therapist, please let us know and the team will gladly answer your queries.

What we recommend for Counselling

Professional counselling

If you are suffering from depression or any other mental disorders then ongoing professional counselling could be your ideal first point of call. Counselling will utilize theories such as Cognitive behavioural therapy which will help you live a more fulfilling life.

FAQs: How to choose a therapist

Citations

BACP. How to get therapy.

Mind. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).

PsychCentral. How to Choose a Therapist and Other Questions about Psychotherapy.

Psychology Today. How to Choose a Therapist.

The Telegraph. How to choose a therapist.

Time with. How to Choose a Therapist: A Step by Step Guide.

UKCP. How to choose a psychotherapist.

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