How to Choose The Right Therapist or Counsellor for You
How many of you take a lot of time to pick the right outfit for you when you go for shopping? How choosy are you when it comes to the books you read and picking the right restaurant when you want to have some really good food one evening? A lot of us are known to devote much time in deciding what we like best when it comes to these everyday elements of our life. Now, when it comes to health, should we not be even more careful? Yes, choosing the right therapist for you can be daunting sometimes. Well, I have been there myself — because making the choice seemed difficult, I just delayed it. So here is a list of things you need to know to help you make your choice easily, to make the experience memorable and the money worth it!
- First things first, is your therapist a professionally certified or qualified one? There was a tweet sometime recently, on the face of “work from home” because of the corona virus crisis, by someone saying that they wish to offer help to all those who are suffering by being their therapist! This left counsellors around the world shocked. I know people that join some “life skills coaching” or some “academy” or do a short course online calling themselves therapists and posing to be professional counsellors. No, this should be declared illegal, really. One can’t toy with someone’s mental health — this is just as awful as someone having just Wikipedia knowledge calling themselves doctors.
- How good are they in practice? Yes, I have decent theoretical knowledge in several subjects, but how well can I perform when it comes to action? A degree or professional qualification or even several years of experience need not mean that someone is highly skilled in that subject. Are you shocked now? Well, what if I say that I know people who are so good with the theory that they can teach you the big and small differences between two different types of therapy, but they still don’t have what it takes to practice successfully? Yes, that is why they probably stick to teaching. No offense. So what does it then take to make someone a good therapist or a skilled psychological counsellor? Be patient. I’m getting there.
- The Ability to Empathize. Ask those who have been the clients of a therapist in the past or those who know them personally through communities. Does your therapist have the ability to empathize in general? Or are they cold-hearted, lack the communication skills to express themselves clearly yet politely, or do not listen carefully like a therapist should? You should not feel like you are talking to Alexa or a robot! This is one major factor that separates someone who has good theoretical knowledge but is still not capable of being a good counsellor. And those who can empathize but do not have scientific knowledge about human behaviour and therapy can be a good friend, maybe, but not a therapist. You get the point!
- How Comfortable Do The Clients in Therapy Feel? This is one of the most important things to look for while choosing the best therapist in your area. Now, that’s something that probably differentiates a therapist and a doctor or psychiatrist. I don’t think my doctor would like it, but his secretary has one of the most difficult jobs, I’d say. A doctor need not display empathy — theoretical knowledge, plus practical knowledge and experience should do. When comes to therapy, though, if clients do not feel comfortable, that is another giveaway that the concerned person might not be a good one after all.
- Maintaining Confidentiality. This should go without saying, but still someone that does not take the ethics involved in practicing therapy, like strictly maintaining confidentiality and not being judgmental towards clients seriously should not be practicing counselling at all! Yes, a professional counsellor knows well to not combine work and personal life, to not share any information about clients outside therapy, and to not let their personal opinions like religious preferences and political inclination come into the picture when working with a client.
Not all therapists or counsellors are the same. They differ in many ways starting from how they are as a person and in what forms of therapy they follow, how they practice, etc. I, for one, strongly believe in sharing personal experiences, too, whenever relevant and when it could help the client feel better. But there are several counsellors who believe that sharing any personal experience goes against their standards of practice.
Also, ideally speaking, a mental health professional should not be money-minded, and should be focused on the client’s interest, needs, and goals. And if I were you, I’d also not want someone I would be opening up to to be either racist or sexist or misogynistic, but those are not things you can possibly know before you actually sit for a few sessions with them, so yeah. Apart from this, if you are interested in knowing further information like what form of therapy you would need, how much they charge, etc., then feel free to talk to the therapist before booking a session.
To fix an appointment at Refine Redefine Counselling and Coaching Centre, feel free to contact us now.
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