Finding the Right Therapist for You: 5 Expert Tips from a Therapist
When you're starting your therapy journey, you want to be absolutely sure that your therapist is the right fit for you.
Seeing the wrong therapist can be a waste of your time, money, and energy - you don’t want to open up to a stranger who you’ll never speak to again.
Here at KMA Therapy, we know you have questions about the therapy process and you want answers from the best of the best. For over 15 years, we’ve connected our clients and community with local experts to answer their most pressing therapy questions.
5 Tips for Finding the Right Therapist for You
1. Ask about Cost and Coverage
The right therapist for you is someone who fits your budget.
“There is nothing worse than receiving your first invoice and realizing that the number is completely different from what you thought it would be,” shares Julieta. “There's no point in wasting your time with a therapist who either is way outside of your budget or doesn't take your insurance.”
Make sure you ask about pricing and insurance from the get-go to avoid any unwelcome surprises.
To learn more, read Is Mental Health Therapy Covered By Insurance?
2. Explore their Education and Expertise
Therapy is about receiving the best treatment possible for the issues that are affecting your daily life. You want to make sure that your therapist is prepared to deal with those issues.
“If you're dealing with anxiety, ask your therapist what anxiety training they have. If you're dealing with trauma, make sure that they have experience dealing with those issues. If you're going in for couples counselling, make sure that your therapist has actually worked with couples before,” explains Julieta. “Therapy is a really broad term and therapists usually have advanced specialties in very specific areas.”
The other really big thing is you want to make sure that your therapist is licensed with one of the governing bodies.
To learn more about choosing a therapist, read What Type of Therapist Should I See?
3. Understand What to Expect
It is so nerve-wracking to have no idea what to expect from your therapy experience.
Every therapist is different. They all have different approaches - different teams, different offices, and each of them have their own styles and personalities.
“Your therapist should set expectations with you from the very get-go but if they don't, there is no question that is weird, awkward or naive,” shares Julieta. “Ask them how long each session is. Ask them what a session looks like. Ask them if they offer free parking. No question is off-limits!”
4. Examine Their Approach to Therapy
You want to make sure you ask about their approach to therapy. Now, you don't have to know anything about specific therapy techniques. You just have to know about you.
Are you a goal-oriented person or do you prefer to let the goals develop as you go along? Do you prefer therapy that's a little bit more serious or do you like to incorporate some humour?
Asking questions about what the therapist brings to the table can really let you know if you guys are a good personality match.
5. Ask Questions Specific to You
There are some questions that you're going to be dying to ask that have to do with your unique experience and your unique identity.
For example, do you have a disability and you need the office to be accessible? Are you looking for therapists with a similar ethnic or racial background? Do you have a gender or sexuality preference for your therapist?
“This is your therapy experience. Don’t leave any of your questions unasked,” notes Julieta. “The more informed you are before starting your journey, the better the effects of therapy are going to be.”
Next Steps for Starting Therapy
After reading this article, you know five tips to help you narrow down which therapist will be the best fit for you.
Here at KMA Therapy, our passionate team of therapists is here to help you tackle whatever challenges you’re facing.
Explore our Teams page to see who could be a great fit for you, or book an introductory session and let us help you decide.
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