How Do I Find A Therapist
A lot of people head to the therapist’s office believing that they have made the right choice. They will feel comfortable in their session, but will ultimately leave feeling as though they got little out of it. Part of the problem here is that people often view therapists as authority figures, which leads them to believe they cannot be questioned. My best suggestion is that you enter your sessions with an open mind and a willingness to try the techniques being delivered by the therapist. If you feel that the techniques being suggested by the therapist are not right for you, it’s important that you speak up and let it be known that you would like to try a different approach. Do not be afraid to ask your therapist to talk less and listen more, or vice versa. If you try these things and still don’t feel it’s a good fit, it might be time to seek out a new therapist.
Listed below are a few question to ask a prospective therapist. Keep in mind that the “right” answer is the one that fits what you are looking for:
- How much experience do you have in dealing with people with my specific problem?
- Do you use an interactive or passive style of therapy in your sessions? In other words, do you nod and take notes, or do you participate in the conversation?
- What is your approach to childhood issues? Do you start by looking into those, or do you try to fix the problem without going into the past?
- Do you believe that medication is always the answer, or are you open to trying to find solutions that do not require prescriptions?
- Do you offer a free phone consult?
When you call a therapist, don’t simply do so to make an appointment. Conduct an short (5 minute) interview of sorts using the above questions, as well as any others that you deem to be important. This will very quickly help you gauge your comfort level with that particular therapist.