How do we choose anything nowadays? We look at reviews. And here we hit our first obstacle. The two main regulatory bodies for psychotherapists both forbid asking for reviews. The thinking is that the therapist is there for you and asking for a review is about the therapist’s needs. So most don’t have many reviews to look at.
So given this, here is my three-step guide to how to choose your psychotherapist.
STEP 1
Decide, what sort of therapy do you want. There are many types which is confusing, but broadly if you want to change your way of thinking, consider CBT. Want to delve back into childhood and psychoanalytical may be for you. If you want a person who is going to meet you as a human being and be “present”, then a humanistic approach can be the way to go.
If you’re not sure, or want some or all of these, an Integrative therapist will suit you best as they will combine a number of approaches dependent on what you bring.
STEP 2
Read the bio/look at their website. What “feel” do you get. When you see a soft-focus tree or water gently rippling over stones what reaction do you have? If you see someone who is stating their qualifications and a more cognitive approach does this attract or repel you?
STEP 3
Phone them and have a chat to get a sense of how you might work together. I think there are two vital questions to ask yourself and both need to be answered with a “yes”. Do I like this person and does this person seem competent to help me? If yes to both, you’re off to a good start.