How Do I Choose a Therapist?

How Do I Choose a Therapist?

When meeting a therapist for the first time how will I know if s/he is the right one?
Trust is the basis of the therapeutic alliance. If you meet a therapist for the first time and you think that person is not a good listener or is critical or not to be trusted, you need to continue your search to find a
therapist who has those qualities you are looking for.

What do you mean by “therapeutic alliance?”
The therapeutic alliance means that the client and the therapist join forces and become allies against the
person’s problems. The success of the alliance depends upon the client’s belief in the therapist’s competence, the capacity to help. This belief is based on the trust and liking of the therapist. What the client believes about the outcome of the therapy will effect the therapeutic outcome.

Is therapy always painful?
Frequently clients feel relieved after unloading thoughts and feelings and worries that they have kept pent up for so long. But therapy–the kind of therapy which produces lasting results–isn’t always a quick fix. It involves a willingness on the part of the client to explore their own motivations and behavior patterns, and to change some of them.

Which kind of therapy is best for me?
There are many different models of therapy. The most useful is the kind that addresses your individual problem and is preferred by the therapist. For example, depression responds well to Cognitive Therapy. Using this model, the therapist recognizes how the client thinks about the world and seeks to change “automatic thinking.” This is the process of sorting out thoughts that make a person feel
bad. These thoughts generally “pop” into a person’s head in response to certain situations or form the basis of their world view. Significant trauma responds well to a technique called EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), which causes trauma to reduce.

If you or someone you know needs mental health treatment, read the bios of WBC’s licensed therapists to learn about their backgrounds and approaches to treatment. Appointments can be scheduled immediately by phone or online.