5 Fresh Tips: How to Find the Right Therapist with Therapist Bonnie Scott

Figuring out how to find a therapist who is a good fit for you can feel so overwhelming, but you’re not alone! Check out these 5 Fresh Tips to help you find a therapist who’s good for you with therapist Bonnie Scott.

You can learn more about Bonnie Scott on her Fresh Starts Profile.

5 Fresh Tips to help you find the right therapist:

1. Consider what you need to feel secure: you're going to be vulnerable with the therapist you find and you are totally allowed to have preferences and specifications. Do you need someone of a particular belief system, gender, or other identity? Do you want someone who is straightforward or someone more gentle? Do you want homework? Do you have a specific goal or are you looking for a self-exploration approach? Make a list before you start really looking so you have some way of narrowing down the options.
2. Ask for recommendations: ask friends or family about their therapy experiences. I often make referral lists if my clients ask me for suggestions for other folks in their lives. Ask about the topic in your online groups or other social groups like book club or workout classes. You can also ask your healthcare providers, who have probably coordinated with a few professional therapists who work with their populations.
3. Consider the logistics: you may want to consider the cost and if you can use insurance or not. You might need a virtual option or someone who practices in-person in your part of town. You might find it easier to schedule from week-to-week or you might need a standing appointment.  But the logistics need to work if you're going to be successful in your therapy goals.
4. Try some therapists out to check the vibe. Many therapists offer free consultations where you can ask questions or get to know them a little bit. It's also ok to even try a couple of sessions to see how you feel. Like all good relationships, there's some magic to finding the right therapist for you. There's the straightforward pieces that can be a good fit, but the mysterious part of working well with someone is harder to define. Whoever you're considering, you may want to ask questions like "what can I expect in a normal session with you?" "do you have experience with the topic I want to work on?" so you can get a better idea of how it might feel to work with this person.
5. Understand some of the basics of therapy: everything you talk about will be confidential, but there are limits to that, like mandatory reporting of abuse. Also, therapy isn't meant to last forever; the goal for most therapists is to work our way out of a job by making sure you're supported to grow. You can stay in therapy long-term or come and go, or stay for a few sessions, but you should talk about those expectations with your therapist. If they don't support your goals, it's ok to move on. You may dip into heavier topics one session and then spend the next session backing away from the tough stuff, and that's ok. Therapy should move at your pace. You might be uncomfortable at times, and that's the way it is, but you also shouldn't feel re-traumatized or rushed in session.