What should I look for when choosing a therapist?
View hidden commentThis post was sourced from submitted reader questions and posted by wikiHow Editorial Staff, based on our article: How to Choose a Therapist
.
Expert Comments
When you're choosing a therapist, there are a few steps you can follow to find the right fit for you:
View hidden comment
- Think about the goals you want to achieve so you can find the type of therapy that's best for you, and so you can be on the same page as your therapist.
- Check with your insurance provider to see if there are therapists in your network, and budget your finances so you can pay for appointments, if necessary.
- Ask for referrals for therapists from people you trust, or search online for therapists in your area.
- Meet with potential therapists to see if you feel comfortable communicating with them. Ask them questions about how they'll be able to help you and what you should expect from sessions with them.
- Schedule a few sessions with a therapist that you like to feel them out. If you don't feel like you mesh well with your therapist or if anything feels off, you can always change therapists if you need to.
Make sure you find someone that you can easily hold a conversation with since you'll be able to open up to them more.
The biggest factor is whether you have rapport with your therapist. There have been plenty of studies that have looked at the relationship between the patient and the clinician, and whether it's a therapist or not, almost all of those studies have pointed to the fact that if you have a good rapport and you're able to be honest in your answers to any of the clinician's questions, you're actually going to have a better outcome.
Pay attention to how you feel when you talk with the therapist. If it doesn't feel like a good fit for you, don't make an appointment with that person even if you can't give a logical explanation about why you don't feel good about that person. Trust your feelings.
View hidden comment
The biggest factor is whether you have rapport with your therapist. There have been plenty of studies that have looked at the relationship between the patient and the clinician, and whether it's a therapist or not, almost all of those studies have pointed to the fact that if you have a good rapport and you're able to be honest in your answers to any of the clinician's questions, you're actually going to have a better outcome.
Pay attention to how you feel when you talk with the therapist. If it doesn't feel like a good fit for you, don't make an appointment with that person even if you can't give a logical explanation about why you don't feel good about that person. Trust your feelings.
What’s on your mind? Ask anything.
Get advice and feedback from experts and wikiHow readers just like you.
Ask a Question
More Forum Discussions
Ask a Question
Trending Discussions
I feel really lonely. Let's talk about loneliness.
This quiz said I'm lonely, and it's right. But I can't be the only one, right? What did you all get?
Read More
I can't sleep. What should I do?
I can't sleep. As I'm typing this it's almost 4 in the morning and I have been just staring at the ceiling (or my phone or the insides of my eyelids) for hours. This happens a lot, I can't sleep and then I waste the night just lying there trying to fall asleep and the next day I'm exhausted. What should I do?
Read More
How do I know if I need therapy?
This quiz said I should consider therapy, and some people have told me that before too. But like...how do you know if you actually need to go? Sure I get sad or angry sometimes, but so does everyone. I mostly feel fine.
Read More
