Choosing to embark on having therapy could be a really positive thing for you – your mindset, your mental health and even on your physical health. Here are some tips for finding the right therapist for you. With so many different therapy options to choose from, including quite niche subject areas like alcohol addiction, it is important to get this right.
Step one is to admit that you are struggling and need some extra help. It could be that you just can't handle it by yourself and need to get an outsider's perspective. It could be that you want something who is qualified to help you instead of just chatting it through with family members and friends. Whatever the reason, admitting that you need some help is the first step.
Once you know that you need some extra help it is worth taking time to think about what you want to achieve from therapy. For example, if you are an anxious driver, do you want to be able to drive to and from work on a daily basis, or do you want to get the confidence to drive Route 66 in America? Both are perfectly valid outcomes from therapy, however they will take different approaches and different amounts of time to achieve.
Whilst this is important, don't get too caught up in it.
When I started therapy I went to help ease my anxiety being a passenger in a car and along the way we unearthed some childhood trauma so things took a bit longer than expected.
Now that you know what you want to tackle you can start your search for a therapist. You can use BetterHelp to assist you.
Start off by thinking about the sort of therapy you want.
Do you want to visit your therapist at their office, or do you want to communicate electronically? Do you need some tough love or someone who is gentle in their approach?
Do you want an individual session, or would you prefer to work in group therapy, couple's therapy or even family therapy sessions?
These are some important questions to think about. Your answers might change as time goes on and that's okay too.
When searching be sure to look for their qualifications, and you can also ask about the experience they have with people facing similar issues.
You might also want to consider how to get in touch with a potential therapist.
For many of us, picking up a phone to make a phone call can be difficult. My favourite form of communication is email, because unlike a text message, I can take my time responding and I check my emails in my own time. That means I can reply when I want to. Whereas you might prefer to pick up the phone and get an answer there and then.
Remember that starting therapy is a big step, and if you don't find the right therapist or type of therapy first time then it is completely okay to change things up when you need to.
