You have struggled to manage your moods and your mind has continued to be your biggest enemy throughout the day. You have googled tips to manage stress or anxiety or depression and have tried them all to no avail.
Speaking to friends or family about how you are feeling has not seemed to help. They either tell you to “grow up”, “just stop being sad”, or that your problems are no worse than theirs. This is why it is beneficial to find a good therapist!
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A therapist should your confidant and guide to a better you. You should be able to develop a treatment plan that focuses on where you would like to be in life and what you would like to see happen in the near future. If you think a therapist is what you need to be successful, check out these tips that will educate you on how to find a good therapist.
How To Find A Good Therapist Tip 1
Know What You Are Looking For!
Everyone has different taste in food, clothing, music and people! There is a reason that you attract individuals that you have considered your friends. You can use your friends and the individuals you normally identify as supportive as a road map for the qualities you may like in a therapist. Are you interested in a laid back style or someone who is strict within the hour of the session? Would you rather a female or male therapist to be able to comfortably discuss your concerns?
Some other things to note are the therapist qualifications such as licensed therapist, certification in trauma or families, and their specialties. For example, a therapist may specialize in women and do not work often with families and that may be important to know if you are a mom with trouble with your children.
How To Find A Good Therapist Tip 2
Use The Information Provided
There are many sites you can use to find a therapist and you could also use social media. I highly recommend Psychology Today for your search. On the site you are able to specify your needs and only see the individuals who fit! This site should save you time.
I also recommend looking at the back of your insurance card and either calling the number or going to the site. By doing so you will be able to know for certain that these individuals take your insurance which could save you money! At times your insurance company will let you know who has the lowest co pay!
How To Find A Good Therapist Tip 3
Ask For Recommendations
If you know someone such as a friend or family member in therapy you could ask for their recommendations on a therapist. Most therapists know of others that are accepting new clients and they could refer you to someone. You could also ask your primary care physician for a referral as therapist often network with them. Be wary of some recommendations individuals give at times as it may not be based on your specific needs.
How To Find A Good Therapist Tip 4
Use Your Employee Assistance Program
As a full time worker (and occasionally part time) your employer may have an EAP. The EAP has therapist that are paneled to work with their specific employees and the employer covers the cost.
The positive to an EAP therapist is that they are likely to have insight about your job and any negativity surrounding it. By knowing this information they are likely to be prepared for the stress or other emotions you are enduring from your work life.
The negative is that an EAP is short lived (8-12 weeks) and sometimes clients cannot afford the therapist without an EAP benefits.
How To Find A Good Therapist Tip 5
Be Open Minded
Teetering the line of “should I go to therapy” and “but nothing is wrong with me” can cause you to have difficulty finding a therapist. As the saying goes “you can lead a horse to water” but we cannot make you attend therapy and gain insight from it.
As you search for a therapist remember why you needed one to begin with.Allow this thought to motivate you through your journey of finding a therapist and accomplishing your goals within therapy.
I hope these tips help you know how to find a good therapist so that you can process any issues and improve your mental health. If you are looking for similar services, reach out, as I provide life coaching and career coaching to improve your mood and life instability.
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13 Comments
This is very informational! Thank you for this!
Being open minded and knowing what you’re looking for is such great advice. I feel people tend to have unrealistic expectations and as such abandon getting help before it’s able to become fruitful. Great tips.
Thank you and thanks for reading!
I would add that if after one or two sessions you feel that this is the WRONG person, don’t feel bad about looking for someone else. Therapy is only as good as the work you do there, and if there isn’t that feeling of safety and openness that you need, then you need to find someone else. You should have the confidence to put yourself first!
Yes, that too is incredibly important. I actually have a post scheduled about this!
These are great tips! Finding your first therapist can feel like such a huge hurdle; this post is so important and I’m sure will help people take that first step! 💜
I hope it does too, thanks for reading!
I’m so glad you made this post. I had to stop going to therapy because I couldn’t afford it. Now that I have health insurance again I can finally go back. I was just thinking to myself I need to look for a good therapist that I can connect with and feel comfortable opening up to. These tips are great. Thank you.
Very informative post. I’ve used EAP myself and have found them to be helpful but I still have to “shop around” for one that I clicked with. I know “shop around” sounds terrible but that’s what it felt like…
It may sound terrible but it is exactly what everyone should do to find what works for them lol
I found my therapist by recommendations, I absolutely love her! I have an appointment on the 28th 😋 she actually listens to me, she hugs me after every sesh too. I’m loving this post!
Im so glad you found someone that meets your needs and you have a connection with!
This is so informative and a fantastic post to read. I’m so pleased you’ve found a therapist that works for you.
I remember when I had therapy during 2015 my counselor was a dream. She was so kind and I loved her calm approach. During our last session we both cried saying goodbye to one another. I couldn’t thank her enough for the support and confidence she provided me with.
Kate | thelittlecrunch.co.uk