Topic: counseling-fundamentals

Question: How would I know if I have the right therapist?
How do you know you have the right therapist for you?
 How would I know how to "train" my therapist to be able to give me what I need from treatment?

Answer (from Stephanie CStephanie C. Mental Health*Addiction Psychotherapist ):
This is a great question. There could be a few ways to “know”
that you’ve found a good fit and you and your therapist are therapeutically compatible.
First, I would recommend listening to your intuition and pay attention to how
you feel, if there are feeling-indicators that you are comfortable, feel safe
and willing to open up and share your story. 
Second, do you feel the therapist you are considering will support and challenge
you in ways you need.  Some therapist
offers a free consultation.  This might
be a good opportunity to take advantage of.Stephanie C, MA, LADC, LPCC (pre-licensed) www.stephanietherapy.com

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Answer (from Sherry Katz, LCSWCouples and Family Therapist, LCSW):
Good question!The client's job is to concentrate on stating the details of their problem and to thoughtfully engage in a dialogue about these areas with the therapist.The most difficult job for a client is willingness to self-examine, hold oneself accountable for relationship and life situations, and honestly feel the difficult, often painful feelings and insecurities which troubling situations create.The client doesn't train the therapist.If you feel you are with a therapist who requires you to train them, then politely decline continuing to pay for their services.Then find yourself a different therapist who feels secure and knowledgeable enough in their skills to not require training by their client.

Answer (from Laura RodriguezOnline Counselor):
Thinking whether or not you have the right therapist can be overwhelming if you are not sure what you want or need. But think of this, you feel safe and comfortable that you share what you’ve never told anybody. You feel understood and listened to. You feel their support.  You trust them. Do you believe they can help you? If you do not, then that might make it hard for you to want to open up.As far as how would you how to train your therapist to help you. If you know what you need all you have to do is share this with your therapist.  If you don’t know then therapy is a collaborative process so both you and your therapist will work together to figure out your needs and how to best meet them.

Answer (from Dawn M. Reilly, Psy.D.It's never too late):
The "right" therapist is a combination of expertise in the areas where you require, and fit as far as how comfortable you feel in speaking and sharing with that person.  People generally are quite good at determining whether or not someone fits well with their personality and style; and another key to know whether therapy is working is to ask yourself:  "Do I see that changes have come about since working with this therapist?"  Do I feel better? Am I reaching goals that I set at the onset of therapy?  Are difficult situations becoming easier by how I handle them? Training a therapist really isn't necessary, as all it requires is open and honest communication in order to give effective feedback that will in turn be helpful to you and your goals.

Answer (from Michael GreeneTherapy That Focuses on Root Causes):
You have the right therapist if you feel safe with that person. Safety consists of feeling that who you are and what you say is valued. The right therapist is not an 'all knowing person you must obey'. He or she is a person with skilled knowledge who respects you as a partner in your self discovery. The right therapist is also one who is kind

Answer (from Janna KinnerFlourish Christian Counseling):
This is a really important question, because you don't want to waste your time and money with a therapist who is not a good fit for you.  I think the most important factor that makes a good therapist match is trust-- do you trust this person to be able to help you meet your therapy goals?  There are few things you can do upfront to test this out, without spending a dime.  First, ask for personal recommendations from friends or others.  If you know someone who had a great experience with a certain therapist, you'll feel more confident in that person right off the bat.  Second, do your online research.  Google the person's name and read everything you can find.  Many therapists are starting to develop more of an online presence because they know that's a way future clients can develop trust without even stepping in their door.  See if they have a blog, social media posts, or even just read the tone of the content on their website.  This might give you a glimpse of their therapy style.  Finally, you can call or email potential therapists and provide a brief overview of your presenting problem and describe what you're looking for in your ideal therapist.  It sounds like you have a specific idea of what you're looking for... most therapists will be honest if they don't feel they're going to meet your expectations.  Some therapists offer free short phone consultations which can help you both decide if you would work well together.  Do your homework upfront, and you'll be well on your way to finding a great therapist for you!