THUNAISo you have made your decision to see a therapist. This article will help you identify what to look for while hunting for a good therapist, as well as a step by step guide on how to get started.
What should you look for?
The treatment approach: Counsellors can specialize their therapy based on different areas of practice, or theories. For example, they may focus specifically on marriage counselling or addictions counselling. The important point here however is to look for a specialty in the area that you want support in. If you are seeking support for your marriage, then seek a marriage counsellor.
Area of experience: Like mentioned before, counsellors can specialise in different areas. Don’t be afraid to first ask the counsellor when you first contact them how much experience they have in the area you want help in, and if they have successfully been able to help resolve similar issues in other clients of theirs.
Session length: This can typically vary so you can ask about this when you reach out to a counsellor. However, you can expect each session to be about an hour long, with the last few minutes focused on preparing for the next session and wrapping up. Group counselling can take longer.
Monetary cost: This is also something you should discuss when you first contact a counsellor. Some offer a “sliding scale” for the cost, where it will be based on how much you earn. Some types of counselling such as couples counselling can cost more.
Long-term or short-term counselling: Short-term counselling can involve a fixed number of sessions, and can be an option for an immediate crisis. If however you are looking for long-term changes, or to work through your difficulties at a slower pace, you might opt for long-term counselling.
How to get started:
Making first contact: You can do this via phone or email. This first step can be quite difficult for some. Just remember that they are there to help you. If you feel nervous about calling them, send an email instead. Moreover, don’t be put off if it goes to voicemail. Just leave a message with your contact information, and they will reach out to you. You can use this first contact as well as your first appointment to ask questions.
For example, you can ask about:
The hours they work, if they work weekends and evenings and how often sessions are held.
The fees and how much they charge for an initial session. Some counsellors do not charge for this, others charge a smaller fee.
Their theoretical approach and their experience. However, you may prefer to leave this until you meet them face to face.
Practical questions that might take some of the stress away from planning around your appointment, such as what bus or train routes there are to get there, about parking, or whether there is a waiting area.
Is it the right fit?: Having a good relationship with your counsellor is extremely essential in your recovery. For some people it is important to have a counsellor who reflects their own lifestyle, choices, race, sexuality, values or beliefs.Factors such as these may or may not contribute to what gender you want your counsellor to be, or their religious faith. If these things are important to you, then don’t be afraid to ask early on.
Booking a session: While the counsellor can help you clarify some of your thoughts as you talk through them, it would be good to first think about specific areas you want to work on. For example, instead of just going in with the idea that “I am unhappy”, try to think of the specific events or other feelings that might have triggered this such as “I just broke up”. Be prepared to face personal questions - this is all a part of the process.
Good luck and don’t give up. If you feel like it isn’t the right fit the first time, then keep looking until you do!
During this pandemic, it has been difficult to get access to therapists. Enlist the help of family and close friends to find a therapist who is able to see you.