Okay so you’ve decided to go to therapy (woo go you! It’s really helpful, and I’m a little biased, but I think everyone should do it). But you’re not sure who to go to.
It is a tricky decision, because it can be a big financial investment, as well as a commitment to investing your time. You want to find the right person to help you.
Hopefully these tips will help you to make a good decision.
Tip 1. It ain’t about the money, honey
It is so so tempting to choose someone based on a lower fee. I get it, therapy is expensive and if someone is charging $50 less, why wouldn’t you go with them?
Well in all honesty, it may end up costing you more in the long run. Have a look at the hypothetical table below:
Okay so Psych A has a higher fee, but they also have a higher qualification, more training, a recognised endorsement to practice clinical psychology, and training and experience in providing treatment for the thing you want help with.
So while choosing Psych B may seem more affordable in the short-term, they may be less experienced and less qualified so it is possible treatment will take longer, or not be effective at all.
You are going to be much better off choosing a psychologist who has more training in clinical psychology and who has experience with your specific presenting concerns.
Tip 2. You gotta click with them.
“Sometimes you meet a person and you just click – you’re comfortable with them, and you don’t have to be anyone or anything.” – Anonymous
Okay so maybe you still feel a little nervous and not ready to reveal everything just yet, but the point is, you have to like and respect your therapist for therapy to work.
There have been a series of studies done on what the most effective component in psychological treatment is, and they’ve found that across all types of therapy, the biggest factor that contributed to success was the therapeutic relationship.
This is someone who you are going to be discussing so much of your life with. Someone who you are going to rely on for emotional support. Someone who you are going to trust to give you guidance in life. You need to like that person. You need to have respect for that person. And you need to be able to trust that person. If there is something off, then it’s going to be very difficult for you to open up and immerse yourself in understanding yourself better and learning new skills.
Pick someone you like, it will make the difficult times in therapy a whole lot easier.
Tip 3. Ask around.
Word of mouth is a good way to find a great psychologist. If you know of someone who has seen a psychologist before and had a positive experience, ask them who they saw and find out some more information. Especially if you know someone who works in mental health already – they’ll know people or know who to ask.
Another thing you should do is discuss it with your GP. Ask them who they’ve worked with previously, and who their other patients have had positive experiences with. GPs refer loads of people to psychologists and chances are they know the good ones in the area. If you have specific requests around gender or age or experience, mention this to your GP as well. They’ll be able to point you in the right direction.
Have a Google. There are great websites that can point you in the right direction such as Psychology Today, Healthkit, or ACPA (Australian Clinical Psychology Association) Find a Clinical Psychologist.
When you find someone who seems to be experienced in your area, have a look at their website. Do you get a good vibe? Do they seem warm and friendly? Are you able to commute to their offices on a regular basis? Do you think it will be a good fit? You can even give them a call and ask to speak with them first and ask a bit about their experience and training, if that would make you feel more comfortable.
Tip 4. Don’t give up.
Just like with anything else, sometimes you can do all the screening in the world and still have a dud experience. It’s a real shame, and it’s very disheartening, but don’t give up on psychology altogether.
Just like in any other profession, there are going to be professionals you like and some you don’t fit with so well. That’s okay, it doesn’t mean psychology as a whole is a write off, or that it won’t work for you. Maybe you just haven’t found the right person yet.
Give it another go, and learn from the experience. What was it about that experience you didn’t like? Was it their manner? Was it their style of therapy? Was it the location? If you can reflect on these things, chances are you won’t make the same mistake twice.
Good luck! I hope you find someone who can support you through whatever may be going on for you right now.