Aug 15 2009
How do you choose a therapist?
For many people the task of choosing the right therapist is a very perplexing one. The irony is that when you are in depths of despair is probably the worst time to try to choose the right one. You are stressed and not thinking rationally and you don’t really know the right questions to ask?
I remember when I was living in the country with my parents and in the depths of depression and , my sister came up from Sydney to help me find someone local to talk to.
I’m confused
My sister who is incredibly capable on the phone found the process so confusing and I was highly impaired in my ability to navigate my way through the maze.
Where do you start?
We searched Yellow Pages under counsellors and then began ringing people to try and understand the counsellor’s background and approach. As a novice it is an almost impossible task. How do you choose between the different therapeutic approaches? How do you know if they are properly qualified when anyone can put up a shingle saying they are a “Psychotherapist”? How do you know if they have a good bedside manner?
A friend of mine, Che McLeod started an Australian website called www.GoodTherapy.com.au for exactly this reason (there is also a similar website in the UK ( www.counselling-directory.org.uk ). I have asked her to describe the process she would go through if she was asked to guide a stranger in how to find the right therapist. These are her suggestions after many years of interacting with a variety of counsellors and those seeking their services.
Choosing a Therapist
Research has shown quite clearly that for the majority of people looking for a therapist, the rapport he or she feels is influenced more by compatibility of personality, than professional qualifications, experience, age or gender.
This is not to say that the latter qualities are unimportant, indeed they are!
However, most would agree that: if you experience a strong aversion to a particular therapist, it is highly unlikely that you will want to engage in a working relationship with this therapist.
Good Therapy Australia, a not-for-profit health promotion charity, has designed a therapist profile page and directory search facility that maximises the chance of a “good match” between therapist and client.
Their website – www.goodtherapy.com.au – includes information on the various approaches to therapy. Educating one’s self about the different orientations can be helpful because what appeals to one person will not necessarily appeal to everyone.
While some therapists work primarily with dialogue – the session is essentially a conversation – others, who have trained in complementary modalities such as Art Therapy, Gestalt, Psychodrama or HeartMath; may incorporate therapeutic processes that engage us in a number of different ways.
These processes, often experiential in nature, enable us to become more aware of the emotional/physical/mental blocks that keep us stuck.
Whether you are struggling with depression, anxiety, or self-destructive patterns, what you ultimately find helpful will depend on your openness to moving beyond your present situation, and the quality of connection you create with your therapist.
To explore what is meaningful for you, you may want to participate in Good Therapy’s online surveys: Looking for a Therapist; The Therapeutic Space; Questions for Therapists.
http://www.goodtherapy.com.au/flex/surveys/253/1
Also, an article that addresses some of the issues relevant to Choosing a Therapist:
http://www.goodtherapy.com.au/flex/choosing_a_therapist_title/101/1
END OF ARTICLE
I think this provides some excellent insight and advice. I would also suggest asking the following questions after the first visit:
- Did the therapist strive to fully understand your situation?
- Did they outline a plan you had confidence in?
- Did you trust them and feel positive about returning?
A good GP can be a fantastic guide to a good therapist as they regularly hear the feedback of patients who have been referred. Another source of psychologists that have a special interest in depression and anxiety and are in your area can be found at www.beyondblue.org.au
My recommendation is that if your therapist doesn’t tick all the above boxes after your first visit you should find another. This is much easier said than done when you are feeling very low which brings me back to my first point, that you should seek out a therapist before it gets to a crisis situation.
What has been your experience in finding a therapist? Do you have any suggestions? What do you like best about a therapist? What do you like least?
Please add your contribution by responding to this blog. Your responses are anonymous as you just need to enter your first name and email address (which won’t be published).Your suggestion could really help someone else.
Kind Regards
Graeme
