Finding a Therapist - What to Look For

If you have been feeling uneasy about your life, your confidence, your relationships or your work, this article may help you.

If this is the case, don't worry, because there are lots of professional therapists who have been trained to help you. One of the most accessible and often effective options is to seek out a good therapist who has the ability to assist you.

Trained therapists are skilled in being able to guide their clients through a broad range of common problems such as relationship, stress, family, work, confidence, phobias and anxiety issues. Hence, your therapist is a person you can talk to who is qualified to really help, no matter what you are going through.

When you are asking friends and neighbours for recommendations, it is important to bear in mind that they might have different ideas as to what makes a good therapist than you do.

A therapist who has successfully helped your neighbour on battling financial stress and business coaching may not give you the same results when you consult them on your failed relationship life.

When choosing a therapist, it's important to bear certain qualities and factors in mind before you make your final decision.

Age and Experience of Therapist

While age is something that can be considered subjective, studies have shown that both younger and older people feel more at ease in the presence of an older therapist or counsellor. Aside from the obvious depth in experience which makes it easier for an older person to relate to your problems, a mature presence can be more reassuring.

Young people in particular may subconsciously see the older therapist as a parent figure that they can trust and communicate more freely to, and this can aid the sessions.

It goes without saying that an older therapist has more life experience than a younger therapist, and this generally also means they will have more years of experience as a therapist.

On the other hand, a younger therapist might come across as inexperienced, which could affect your confidence in them.

Qualifications & CV

Naturally, you'll want someone who is highly qualified and respected by his field to be your therapist. This is paramount considering you have not yet met your therapist.

Qualifications should not be thought of just as a piece of paper, but as something that signifies high quality expertise and rigorous training. These are all things that can instil confidence in you in regard to your therapist's ability.

Atmosphere

Often overlooked when searching for a good therapist, the atmosphere of the therapist's room is critical to establishing his presence and your feeling of relaxation during conversation.

If you find your immediate surrounding intimidating, you will naturally not be able to sink into deeper conversation. As a result, the trip is more likely to be a wasted one.

The problem is that often you won't be able to get a sense of your therapist's environment until you arrive at your first session.

Therapists who feature videos on their webpages can often give you a much better idea of the atmosphere you can expect during your session, as well as allowing you to feel comfortable with your therapist before you have even met them.

Other things that may affect your personal choice of therapist might be gender, personality, religion, values, and background. These are usually a lot more subjective, so it depends on you.

If you are unsure, it is generally safe to look for someone who is highly qualified and has immense experience under his belt.

This will give you more confidence to walk into your first therapy session, which can be a fantastic start to the process.