How do you find a good therapist?

How do you find a good therapist?

It can be hard choosing, because you might not know what criteria to look for, or, you could be in a lot of pain and not thinking clearly. Some become easy prey for unscrupulous or well-meaning but inadequately educated and trained practitioners. A "rule of thumb" is to be sure your counselor or therapist has a license. (Caution: "certifications" for various "therapies" can be made-up by anyone and dispensed for as little as payment of a fee.) Here's a great resource for checking out fraud and misinformation: http://www.quackwatch.com/

Why a license matters Did you know that the purpose of a license is consumer protection? If a practitioner is licensed, at the very least, you know they have been educated, trained and tested in what they need to know by law, to help you, psychologically. Licensing focuses on making sure a practitioner is safe. And, licensed practitioners must adhere to a "code of ethics" in order to hold on to their license. For more, go to www.bbs.ca.gov/

Expertise The therapist you're considering should have their professional background information readily available to you. (See Professional Biography). Review not just the therapist's pre-licensed education, but look at their post-licensed training and whether they are involved in professional activities. This will tell you several things. First, therapists who train and consult on an on-going basis are keeping up-to-date with new findings in the field, and not stuck in one, old way of doing things. And, teaching and involvement in professional activities is often a good sign of acceptance among the therapist's community of peers.

What's an MFT and how are they different from other counselors and therapists? Counselors and Psychotherapists hold many different kinds of licenses, but there are many different forms of counseling and psychotherapy and unfortunately, the kind of license a practitioner holds tells you nothing about how they work, or what kind of post-licensure training they have had. But there are some distinctions. In addition to learning how to treat psychological disorders (depression, anxiety, etc.) MFT's have specialized relationship training. LCSW's have social work training, psychologists often have more expertise in testing and research, and psychiatrists (MD's) prescribe medication, and many choose to not even be trained in psychotherapy.

So, how do I choose? First, talk to a few over the phone and find out about their education, training and experience to see if it sounds relevant for you. How they answer this question will tell you a lot about how straightforward they are. Then, pick one that feels comfortable to talk to, and try a few sessions. A secure and competent therapist will be willing to see you for a few trial sessions, and not pressure you to continue.

A good therapist will often supportively invite you to look at uncomfortable feelings, to help you understand better what's going on with you internally, as you decide. If this happens, key is, it should feel helpful in some way, and not simply like pressure, and definitely not like the therapist doesn't understand you. Pay attention to your therapist's response to your questions and complaints. If it feels like he or she understands you and responds helpfully, you've found the right therapist. If not, move on.