How to Find the Right Therapist

All too often in these days of limited insurance benefits and managed care companies, many individuals spend less time selecting a mental health therapist than they would a hairdresser. Focused on finding a treatment provider who is an approved provider under a particular health plan, or one who accepts the seeker’s health plan, there is little energy left for finding the therapist who is the best match for the proposed client. Consider this- as a society of consumers, we research all major purchases such as automobiles, we rely heavily on the recommendations of friends for beauty salons, we even assess a seller’s rating status on Ebay before placing our bid on even a small item, but we will call a therapist and simply ask about insurance and appointment availability.

Certainly, those are important questions to ask, but they are not nearly as important as finding a therapist whose style will mesh with your needs, and who will be able to not only teach you, but to inspire you, and to assist you in your journey toward personal growth or mental health. This role is not one you want filled by someone just because their office is conveniently located, or because they validate for parking.

First, you will want to know the qualifications of any potential therapist. Are they are a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) , a Psychologist with a Ph.D (Doctoral degree in either clinical or counseling psychology ) or a Psy.D (Doctoral degree in clinical psychology) a Counselor with either MS or MA (Master’s degree in clinical or counseling psychology) or a Psychiatrist, who is a medical doctor (MD) specializing in psychiatry. These initials make for some very distinct differences in their training- and fees!

Other than educational degrees, learning what theoretical perspective a particular therapist uses as a primary means of explaining why people do what they do, is very significant. Behavioral, Cognitive-Behavioral, Psychoanalytical, Transpersonal, Existential are all examples of theories used in providing mental health counseling, although many, if not most, therapist use a combination of approaches and theories. Ask them to explain how this theory would be involved in working on your particular issue or issues.

Ask if you may come in for a free initial consultation, and go prepared with a variety of questions related to your current conflict or symptoms. Ask the proposed therapist what methods they would assist you to use to deal with a problem with your partner, or anger management, or depressive symptoms, or whatever else it is that you need to work on, and then consider how this feels to you. For instance, if you need to work on anger management, and the therapist tells you that you would have multiple sessions using a foam bat to work out your anger, and this feels uncomfortable to you, it is likely that this is not the right therapist for you. However, if another therapist answers the same question by stating that you would first work on identifying mistaken attitudes that may have lead to anger in the past, and work towards developing appropriate means of releasing anger, this may feel more like what you are willing to commit to.

The willingness to commit is a serious one in initiating therapy for any reason. It’s hard work, no matter what you seek the treatment for, and you need to make a serious committment to yourself to attend the sessions, to follow up on assignments (such as keeping a mood journal), and to have reasonable expectations about the time involved in your course of treatment. This comittment is vital without consideration of what type of therapist you engage in treatment with, or who you select.

Ask friends and others who you respect and feel comfortable with for recommendations, schedule initital consultations, and look for someone that you feel comfortable with, that you can relate to, even someone that you can laugh with. The right therapist can go a long way in providing the right treatment for your problems, and, much like a parent, should be focused on assisting your in your journey towards health and independence.

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