Finding A Therapist
So you're open to seeking therapy.
You admit it would be helpful, you agree with all the self help posts you have seen, the books you have read and full on know that you have stuff to work through. Great!!! But now what? Finding a therapist can be a daunting task, especially now that you are ready to make the commitment full on!
So you start searching for options online, maybe you even ask your friends, family members or doctor for referrals. You give a few therapists a call, only to leave a voice message in hopes for a call back. Or maybe you find a website of a local therapist online and you decide to reach out by email explaining your needs in seeking therapy.
And you wait. And wait, no call backs, no texts. Maybe even a denial and a “we are not accepting new Clients” message.
Here’s the deal.Therapists, unless working for a mental health center, a hospital, a rehabilitation center or some other big practice are usually in private practice and either do not have a secretary or share a secretary with a group of other professionals. This being said, it takes time for a therapist to respond back to the many calls, voicemails, emails and texts that are received throughout each week.
While you're waiting, here are a few crucial topics and questions you can pre-examine for when you do get a response back and the initial phone call or appointment is set.
What specific service are you seeking? Are you looking for a specialist in trauma, relationships, depression, anxiety, addictions, family systems, leadership skills?
Does the therapist live a lifestyle that aligns with your values? Think about it this way, if you were signed up for personal training and your personal trainer was very overweight, would you really want to take their advice on physical fitness? This applies to any specialist whom you are relying on for their expertise.
Personal questions are not appropriate, but professional questions are. Be ready to ask what the therapist specializes in, is trained in and is passionate about within their field of study, research or continuing education. Not all therapists and not all licenses are treated equally, they have similarities and differences.
When building a therapeutic relationship, you are building a sense of trust and security. It takes time to settle into this depth of relationship, trust your intuition. Just because you wear a size 7 shoe does not mean you are going to pay for and wear any shoe. You pay for what you want, is your style and what makes you feel good. Therapists are expensive, they need to fit your needs and you need to feel good, excited even, knowing that you are going to therapy and doing what so many do not do!!
