For those looking for a blog providing advice about your love life, click off now. This post is all about what to look for in a therapist. Finding the right match for you can be a daunting task - depending on where you live, you may have a far too many therapists to chose from, or not enough. Now with a huge number of therapists offering online sessions, we have a whole other platform to experience therapy through, which can feel overwhelming.
Firstly, I would take some time to think about whether online therapy is for you. Are you familiar with using a webcam to communicate, or does the idea of this fill you with dread? Would you prefer to be face to face with a person rather than a screen, or does your hectic schedule mean that the zero travel time involved in online therapy is your best option?
Next, think about what type of therapy appeals to you? Art Therapy, Music Therapy, Drama Therapy, Counselling, Psychotherapy, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Gestalt Therapy the list goes on. Perhaps creative therapies resonate with you the most, or maybe you'd prefer a solely talking-based therapy, like counselling. If you're looking for support around your career, and what path to take, perhaps coaching is more suitable. (Let me know if you'd like me to do a blog post on the most common forms of therapy.)
Once you have determined these, there are some key things to look out for when researching therapists:
1. Do they have experience in the topics or issues you want to work on? Someone who can accurately put words to what's happening for you, needs to have some understanding of what you're going through. If you've experienced the loss of someone close to you, and you're seeking support around coping with this, look for someone with bereavement experience. If you're looking for therapy for your whole family, find a therapist who specialises in this area, such as a Systematic Family Therapist.
2. Are they active in their field? Do they participate in ongoing training, attend talks and meetings relevant to their profession, or have an interest in learning and growing as a therapist? It's important that you find someone who is willing to stay up to date with the latest research and findings, so that their practice is relevant to the current climate, and their knowledge is up to date.
3. Do they take accept you as an individual? It is important that a therapist does not reduce or simplify what's going on for you. You are unique, and so is story. Even though they may have extensive experience and knowledge, your situation is still new to them. Your background, culture and story are also part of you.
4. Do they make you feel valued and heard? Can they listen in such a way that they share your experience with you? Feeling understood and not judged helps us to feel less alone. If someone can be alongside you during sessions, rather than as simply an outsider looking in, then you can work together as a team to move forward.
5. Do you feel safe with them? This extends further than them being appropriate and professional (which of course, is essential). The therapist must also be able to hold the space, and ground themselves and you, enough to make you feel safe, even when working through difficult topics. You need to feel that they can cope with your most challenging experiences, and support you fully through these.
Finally, if you can, arrange to have an initial meeting or consultation, gauge how you feel around them. If you are put at ease and feel comfortable, then you're more likely to be open and honest with that person.
Make sure the places you are searching for a therapist are reliable. Here are a few Trusted Resources to get you started:
Art Therapists U.K: https://www.baat.org/About-BAAT/Find-an-Art-Therapist
Therapists U.K: https://www.bacp.co.uk/search/Therapists
Therapists Spain: http://www.counsellors.es
Therapists America: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists
Therapists Canada: https://www.goodtherapy.org/therapists/canada
Online Therapists: https://www.betterhelp.com/helpme/ or https://www.talkspace.com
This is a very small selection, but there are many more, depending on what country you are based in. Just make sure the site you are searching on is recognised by your country's regulating body (for example, in the U.K. the Health and Care Professions Council or HCPC regulate all therapists to ensure they are practicing safely and meeting recommended guidelines).
For urgent medical attention or advice call Accident & Emergency (A&E).
Thanks for reading, I hope you have found this helpful. Please leave me a comment if you'd like more information about the topic, or if you'd like me to do a post on types of therapy.
Take care and keep creative!