3 Tips for Finding the Right Therapist for You

Seeking help during challenging times is always a smart idea, and speaking with a therapist can be extremely beneficial. These trained professionals spend their time looking for ways to help you succeed in life, starting in your mind. They have techniques and tricks of the trade to assist you in overcoming your battles that you might not otherwise know to use.

That being said, you might not know how to go about finding a therapist. If you’ve never been, why would you? There are many kinds of therapy and treatments, plus every therapist has their own style. It can be a little overwhelming, but that doesn’t mean there’s no hope! Keep reading for advice on how to find the right mental health professional to fit your needs.

1. Determine What Kind of Help You Need

Not to overwhelm you — but there are different kinds of help. Which would be best for you is determined by your personal situation and needs. Sometimes you might require more than just seeing a therapist every other week.

If you’re going through a particularly difficult time, you might need more assistance than one-hour visits. Outpatient programs are the next tier up, allowing you to spend more time with professionals and be in a supervised setting. However, you aren’t required to stay overnight and are free to leave at the end of the day. These usually last one to two weeks, spending from morning to evening at the facility.

You might be looking for or needing a setting that’s more supportive, requiring you to spend more time with professionals. Programs like inpatient treatment for substance abuse are designed to help hold you accountable while you try to better yourself. Some other reasons to seek inpatient programs include severe depression, self harm, or eating disorders. The supervision provided by these facilities might be what you need to get yourself on the mend.

2. Research Types of Therapy

There are also many different kinds of therapy used by professionals. Knowing the difference in styles and methods is essential to choosing a therapist because one might not be as effective for you. Depending on what you’re going through, certain therapies could be more useful than others. A couple of the most commonly used are cognitive behavioral and humanistic.

Cognitive behavioral therapy is a type of talk therapy, meaning the majority of sessions are spent speaking about experiences and issues. Your therapist will use this method to root out thought patterns that can be harmful or cause you further problems. You’ll be encouraged to talk through events and your thoughts during them, and a therapist will pick up on those patterns. Once these unhealthy thought processes are identified, you’ll work together to come up with strategies to approach scenarios in a healthier way. This method is most useful to combat depression, anxiety, phobias, and bipolar disorder.

Humanistic therapy focuses on breaking down an unhealthy worldview that causes self esteem issues and an inability to process trauma. Therapists using this method will help guide you toward self-growth and hitting goals that make you feel better about yourself. You’ll work together to strategize underlying or subconscious factors in this low self esteem. Learning to accept and love yourself is a big part of the humanistic therapy mission.

These are just a couple of examples — there are many useful methods of therapy out there. Do your research and consider speaking to a professional about what might be the best fit for you. There’s something for everything and everyone, you just have to look for it.

3. Be Open to Trying New Things

Speaking of there being so many different types of treatment and therapy, it’s important to keep an open mind when receiving help. You can’t expect to improve unless you’re willing to put in the effort and try new things. You’ll have to make yourself uncomfortable when addressing and overcoming issues, as this is part of the process.

Remember that recovery also requires the right mindset. To truly connect with a therapist, you need to open up and be willing to talk with them about your raw feelings. Don’t put up walls or be guarded — that won’t be helpful. You have to reap to sow, meaning with no effort, there will be no results.

Be willing to experiment with different styles of therapy or treatment as well. You might feel like one approach isn’t very effective, so you might need to try another. It’s not always a perfect fit with the first therapist you see, either, but don’t be discouraged. Be open to change, and you’ll start to see change.

One Size Doesn’t Fit All

As it’s said  — the first step to getting help is admitting you have a problem. The fact that you’re reading this article, looking for help, means you deserve a pat on the back. This is the first step in a valuable, rewarding journey toward a better, healthier version of you.

And remember, it’s not a one-size-fits-all process when finding a therapist. Keep an open mind during the process and be willing to try uncomfortable things for the improvement of your well-being. It’ll all be worth the time and effort — you’re investing in yourself!