How to Find a Good Therapist
Consider your mental health needs and what you want to achieve in therapy.
Ask yourself…
What am I currently struggling with the most in everyday life?
______________________________________________________________________
I have been struggling with ________________________________________________
since _________________________________________________________________
How has this impacted my life?
_______________________________________________________________________
What am I not able to do or have because of what I’m struggling with?
_______________________________________________________________________
Remember that therapy is about you, and thus it requires your work to look inward. Take your time. Do the work and you’ll thank yourself for it.
- Research different types of therapists, including psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, marriage and family therapists, and more.
- Look for a therapist who has experience with the issues you’re dealing with and has helped people similar to you before. Remember: a jack of all trades is less likely to be able to help with your specific case. The more niche, the better outcomes you will most likely get. You can ask them, “What is your experience working with my issue?”
- Look for reviews about and accreditation for the therapists you are considering.
- Pay attention to how you feel when speaking with the therapist over the phone or in person – assess if you feel comfortable communicating openly with them and discussing your issues openly.
- Make sure the therapist is comfortable discussing topics that are important to you.
- While a therapist shouldn’t directly tell you what to do or think, they should be able to push you comfortably into new, uncomfortable growth moments.
- If you can, find an independent therapist. As mentioned in the blog, money doesn’t equal output or quality. A government-supported therapist’s workload is determined by someone else. In my Master Thesis (Wagner, 2022), I found that therapists with more autonomy are happier and provide better results. So, opting for a cheaper therapist may compromise quality and end up costing more in the long run. But, note that this is based on subjective observations from global discussions.
- Be open to online therapy. In the blog post, one issue mentioned is the reluctance to work with online therapists for better care. This hesitation is common worldwide, like my friends in India and Ghana who preferred local therapists despite potential substandard outcomes. People’s emotional decisions often defy rationality. However, based on my interviews and personal connections, those who prioritize quality over location have had significantly better results compared to those who prioritize in-person sessions.
Ask yourself…
What is important for me in the therapist/person that I choose to work with?
_______________________________________________________________________
There are 2 terms you need to know before you choose a therapist:
Neurogenesis: the process that describes that neurons are formed long into high age.
Neuroplasticity: the ability of the brain to change and form new connections.
These are 2 fundamental truths for every human being.
- Remember that humans are capable of change. You are capable of change. Scientist and engineer Tom Chi, Co-Founder of Google-X, asserts that “98% of all atoms in the body cycle out within a year,” highlighting the potential for human change. He refers to this constant state of change as ‘inter-becoming.’ Approximately 7% of our body exchanges out daily, offering countless opportunities for transformation. Watch his full talk here.
Ask yourself…
I would like to stop struggling with ____________________________________________
because __________________________________________
What has kept me from changing something about this struggle?
_______________________________________________________________________
Lastly, you can ask yourself: What do I want to achieve in therapy?
_______________________________________________________________________
Finding a good therapist can seem daunting. But with proper guidance, you’ll eventually land the right one for you. Remember, embarking on the journey to find a therapist takes courage and self-compassion. This checklist is designed to help you on that journey. To make the best out of it, you can print out this document and hand-write your answers. It will have a much better and lasting effect on your brain than when answered on-screen (as proven by science).
Take it step by step. Have faith and embrace the transformative power of therapy. You deserve it!
Question Recap:
What am I currently with struggling the most in everyday life?
Since when have I been struggling with…………………. (keep this as line or points, so people can fill it in themselves)? (here, the answer lines can be 2-3 max since the response will be shorter)
How has this impacted my life?
What am I not able to do or have because of struggling with…………………..(keep this as line or points, so people can fill it in themselves)?
Why would I like to stop struggling with……………………(keep this as line or points, so people can fill it in themselves)?
What has kept me from changing something about this struggle?
What is important for me in the therapist/person that I choose to work with?
