The commitment to therapy is, for most people, a long-term one. It can be very frightening to make the first step toward healing, and that looks differently for everyone. There are so many options out there, so it can be difficult to know which one is right for you. Furthermore, with limitations due to insurance, cash, and scheduling, it might seem like therapy isn’t accessible. Let’s explore a few ways to make sure you’re finding the right therapist for you.
- You connect with your therapist.
- They are trained to work with your specific symptoms.
- They are committed to their own growth and healing as a professional and a person.
You connect with your therapist.
Therapists are humans, and as most of us know, we don’t generally connect with every person that we meet. Sometimes when we are assigned a therapist through insurance, we are unable to be choosey. However, most people who have been through therapeutic relationships will tell you that it made all the difference when they found the right one. If you connect with your therapist on certain levels, such as sense of humor, and foundational values, this can really generate a healing relationship. The relationship between you and your therapist is the foundation of the therapeutic process, so the trick for choosing one you connect with is to trust yourself and how you feel. Does your therapist make you feel safe, heard, seen, and validated? If yes, does your therapist also find ways to challenge you and facilitate your growth that still leave you feeling seen, heard, and validated? These are great signs.
Scope of Practice
Scope of practice means the types of mental health disorders your therapist is able to work with. Sometimes a therapist will refer a person to someone else simply because they have chosen to specialize in something different. If you are being referred, take this as a good sign that you are being sent to a person who is able to work with your symptoms. If you are just starting out, you may begin with one therapist who conceptualizes your case and end up with a different therapist the more you yourself understand what you are going through and what you need. Mental Illness healing is very much like peeling back the layers of an onion, so the first issue you present with in therapy will not be the same issue you present with two years later (as long as you are doing the work to move forward). This is why the consultation and initial meeting with a therapist is so valuable, and why most therapists do not charge for this initial meeting. It is okay for them to say they are not able to work with your case, and it is okay for you to look elsewhere for treatment that is better suited to your case as well. Give yourself permission to shop around, and trust that you’ll feel more aware and in control of your healing the more you explore therapeutic options (even those outside of traditional mental health counseling).
Your therapist is healing too.
There are guidelines and ethical parameters for therapists in regard to how much they are going to share about themselves, but it should be evident that they are healing, and have been healing for some time. The best teacher in life is experience, so if you find a therapist who seems to know all the things, and has gone through the right schooling, but seems disconnected from the healing process itself, shop around. You want to find one who is both licensed in your state of residence, and also experienced in the challenge of the healing process. It really does take an insider to be able to empathize with the challenges of overcoming mental health issues. While not all therapists have had acute mental health conditions, and so might not always be able to say they have been through what their clients have been through, they should at least be on the healing path. Read their bios, check their experience, and go with the one that aligns with your path most closely.
Check out our practitioners page to meet your potential therapist, today! You can also click on “Healing Happens Here” to return to the blog page.
