The right therapist can transform lives but the task of choosing one can be quite confusing. There are lots of choices out there, with different types of therapy and different specialisms. This article offers you some tips for beating the confusion and finding the right therapy to meet your needs.
Personal Choice
Whether you are looking for couples counselling in Cheltenham or CBT in London, choosing the right therapist will be a very personal choice. You have to feel a sense of trust in the person and feel comfortable enough to discuss your innermost feelings with them. You can read more about the importance of this and the ways you can assess the suitability of a potential therapist on the NHS Inform website here:
Specialist Subject
Your choice should also be influenced by the types of cases a therapist usually handles. For example, there are therapists who specialise in helping individuals with stress and anxiety, those with experience in other mental health issues, and those such as https://www.cheltenhamcounsellor.co.uk/couples-counselling-cheltenham/ who are specialists in couples’ therapy. Try to choose a counsellor who has plenty of experience in handling cases that are similar to yours.
Types of Therapy?
There are many types of therapy available, delivered in a whole host of ways. Research different types of therapy and think about how you want it to be delivered. Do you want individual sessions or in a group, and would you prefer to sit down or have a therapist with a more contemporary approach?
Further Factors
Other factors to consider when choosing your therapist are practicalities such as cost and location. Think about whether you want to attend in person or have sessions online and whether the therapist can offer sessions that fit in with your needs.
What solution focused therapy involves
Part of finding the right therapist is understanding the different approaches on offer. Solution focused therapy starts by talking through what you want from treatment before it begins. The idea is that clear, realistic expectations shape the work and give it a better chance of success.
The process centres on three questions, and much of the therapist’s skill lies in drawing out honest answers. The first asks what your hopes are for the treatment and how it could help you. The second asks you to picture what your life will be like once the treatment has worked. The third looks at what you have already tried to improve things and what you are doing now.
With those answers, the therapist can build the treatment around your own needs and expectations rather than a fixed plan. It can be demanding for both sides, but when it works well it can lead to very good outcomes. If this way of working appeals to you, ask any therapist you are considering whether they use it.