Tips on How to Choose a Therapist to Get the Most from Psychotherapy

Take some time to write down what your current struggles are that bring you to seek help and why the help is so pressing now.  Imagine what you want from therapy and what life would be like if therapy was deeply helpful and transformative.

1. Gather referrals from people you trust and respect and/or use online search tools like Psychology Today to find some local and well fitted counselors/therapists.

2. Then, interview several of these people in person or on the phone.  Many will offer brief consultations, but taking a whole session is very much worth your time and effort. 

3. Tell them a little about what you are struggling with, what you want from therapy and see what they say.

4. Ask the therapist how they understand the change process; good therapists are really interested in change and have a philosophy they can articulate.

Therapists are all so different, with different training and approaches and yet the research is vibrantly clear that the main thing that leads to healing is the “fit”, the sense of connection and safety one feels in contact and communication with the other.  

If your first encounter feels good and you think well of the therapist, then make another meeting.  If after one meeting you don’t feel great about it (which doesn’t necessarily include having some anxiety because therapy is very challenging) then don’t go back to this person.  If you feel fairly good or great about the first meeting, then try 3 meetings before deciding to pursue more in-depth work with your new therapist.