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Make ADHD Your Superpower
This article aims to teach you how to utilize a practical framework to advocate for the support you need from coaches and other support providers;
January 30, 2022
How to Find A Therapist Who Fits Your Needs Perfectly: A Complete Guide
So, you are ready to start your journey with therapy! Luckily, there is an excess of talented, qualified mental health professionals. The question is, who is the perfect fit for you? We have the privilege to choose and you should not take this choice lightly. The task becomes finding someone who matches your needs, health insurance network, and who has availability. This is the part of the process that can be most challenging, but we are here to help. In this article, we are identifying the best tips to find the perfect fit for you.
How to Find a Gem Amongst the Masses
When you start your search, do not limit yourself to huge platforms. Pay attention to the personal information therapists write about themselves. The way they describe themselves and how they talk could really influence your decision. Be attentive to your emotions during this search. If you start to feel a little hesitant about someone for one reason or another, follow that impulse. Faces can give a lot away about a person. Studies have found that therapeutic alliance and the trust you build with your therapist are key factors to the success of your therapy practice. It is crucial you pay attention and choose someone you think you could trust.
Check out their social media and dig a bit deeper
Nowadays, with Facebook and Instagram, you can ‘follow’ a professional and really get a feel for who they are, how they work, and what they stand for. It can be very helpful to check out their live streams or professional blogs. On Mental Treat’s instagram, we have a biweekly takeover for professionals to answer our subscriber’s questions. This is an opportunity to see the professionals ‘live’ and get a better understanding of who they are.
First Communication
It can feel a bit awkward at first, but it is always best to have a first consultation before really committing to a therapist. Reaching out to them to arrange this is a very important step. You can really get the vibe of a person, ask them questions (stick to the most important ones for the first call, such as the type of therapy they practice or their attitude towards an issue). Any other questions try to save for the consultation. Here are some questions you can use during that consultation:
- What level of training do you have (certification, degrees)?
- How long have you been practicing?
- How does the type(s) of treatment you practice work?
- What kinds of treatment or therapy do you think are best for me?
- How much do you charge?
- How soon should I start to see improvement?
- What do I do if I do not see improvement?
- What are the chances that treatment will be successful for me?
- How will we assess my progress?
- What are the advantages/disadvantages of different approaches, including medications?
Obviously, it may be difficult for him or her to have a precise answer to each of these. As the practice is a little different for everyone, they will only be able to speak from experience and their conversation with you, so do not get too discouraged.
Consultation
A consultation with a therapist is a short meeting to assess if you and the therapist are a good match. They are typically pretty informal and a chance to get to know each other. As important as it is for you to assess them, they are assessing you to get a sense of your problems and make sure they can treat you. If the consultation does not go very well, it is important to know that the therapist has an ethical duty to refer you to other therapists they think will be a better fit.
You should not expect this to feel like a session. The work starts after the first consultation. The most important thing is to ask questions. As the client, you should feel empowered to get answers and make yourself feel comfortable starting this journey. Pay attention to how you feel when you talk to this person. If you do not get a good feeling, keep searching until you find someone that you do. If you do feel comfortable, this may be the right fit for you! Remember, you are the one who is making the decision. You are the ‘interviewer’ in this first consultation, so make sure you go in knowing that and feeling comfortable.
After the Consultation
You do not have an obligation to choose the first therapist you speak to. You are more than allowed to search until you find the one that feels right for you. Of course, if this search starts to take ages, you should think about postponing. Maybe you are not ready or are too nervous. If that is the case, it can be helpful to say that to the therapist you are considering working with. You have the opportunity to start working with this person, find someone else, or stop the journey all together. A consultation is in no way binding.
A final thought from Mental Treat
It is crucial that you do what you can to take care of yourself. Be sensitive to your needs, not only during your therapy sessions, but also during the search for the right fit. Remember, you can always use Mental Treat’s search platform to filter results and find the right therapist for you. Check that out on our website. We wish you the best of luck in this process and hope that this information was helpful!
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