If you’re on a journey to improve your mental health, there’s a good chance you’re thinking about therapy. With numerous specializations, personalities, and resources to consider, finding the right therapist for you can feel overwhelming. Fortunately, we have some tips to help you find the right person to support and guide you on your path to healing and growth.

1. Understand Your Needs

Before you begin, take some time to reflect on your specific needs and goals. Consider the issues or challenges you’re facing, the type of therapy you’re interested in, and the outcomes you hope to achieve. Having clarity about your requirements will help you find a therapist whose expertise aligns with your unique circumstances.

2. Do Your Research

If you have insurance, start by searching their website for a list of providers that they cover. If you’re comfortable with it, you can also ask trusted friends, family members, or healthcare professionals for their recommendations. Personal referrals can provide valuable insights and a sense of trust.

Additionally, online directories and search engines can help you explore therapists in your area, like Psychology Today. Read their profiles, websites, and reviews to gather information about their backgrounds, specialties, and therapeutic approaches.

3. Check the Boxes

As you’re doing your research, pay attention to information about the therapist’s specializations, availability, hours, platform/type of therapy (online vs. in-person), cost, and other relevant details. Make sure everything listed about the person will match with your preferences and needs.

For example, you may prefer a particular gender or sexual orientation. You can also look for specialized training or experience relevant to your specific needs, such as trauma, anxiety, depression, or relationship issues. Therapists who have worked extensively with clients similar to you are more likely to understand your challenges and offer effective support.

4. Educate Yourself

Don’t understand an abbreviation or a term you’ve never heard before? There are many approaches available in the field of therapy, so a bit of Googling will help you understand your options.

Different therapeutic approaches may include cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), psychodynamic therapy, and more.

Reflect on your preferences and consider what approach resonates with you the most. Don’t be afraid of trying something new, but also don’t feel like you have to go with the latest therapeutic model to see results – plenty of established, effective counselors use traditional approaches like talk therapy with great results.

5. Try, Try, and Try Again

We’ve reached what’s possibly the hardest part of finding your therapeutic match: trial and error. Even acknowledging your limitations and taking the step to find a therapist can be daunting and require courage. So revealing personal information and being vulnerable can be especially difficult when you don’t feel safe or compatible with your therapist.

Faced with a therapist they don’t like, this is where many people end their journey, saying “therapy doesn’t work,” or “it wasn’t for me.” While therapy definitely isn’t a cure-all, building a strong rapport and feeling comfortable with your therapist is essential for successful therapy.

So as hard as it may be, if your first therapist isn’t for you, try again with someone different. Many therapists offer a free consultation or initial session. Use this opportunity to ask questions, discuss your concerns, and see if you feel a connection.

Ideally, the previous steps have increased your chances of finding the right match, but trust your instincts and evaluate whether you feel heard, understood, and supported. If you don’t, move on to the next person. It’s not a dead end; it’s a step on the path to the right therapist for your needs.

6. Regularly Assess Progress

Once you’ve chosen a therapist, remember that therapy is a collaborative, ongoing process. Regularly check in with yourself:

• Am I making progress?
• How do my sessions make me feel?
• How is the rest of my life impacted by my therapy?
• Do I feel positive change?

If you feel uncomfortable or stuck, don’t hesitate to discuss your concerns openly with your therapist or consider finding someone else who might be a better fit.

Therapy is a journey and finding the right support for you can be transformative for your life, now and in the future. Don’t put off your wellbeing! If you’d like to try PDG, we have several counselors with different specialties and styles that could be exactly the support you’ve been looking for. Check them out here.