5 Things to Look for In a Psychotherapist

As a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying), I appreciate that beginning your therapy journey can, at times, feel daunting. This is especially true when we’ve spent months or even years readying ourselves to take that next step, only to wind up discouraged, overwhelmed, and unsure of where to start.

It takes immense courage and trust to share our most vulnerable selves with others on a good day. Selecting a therapist that we feel aligned with (read: truly sees and hears me, can cultivate an environment of safety, and respects my boundaries while also knowing when I need a little push), can be a complex job!

To make that job a little easier, I’ve put together a brief list of key things to look out for when selecting a psychotherapist.

Modalities & Specializations

When I first started my own therapy journey, I didn’t realize that there was more than one type of psychotherapy or that not all modalities are created equal. I kind of just figured you Googled a therapist, told them your problems, and that they did the rest! I wish I had of known then that therapists usually specialize in specific areas/issues, there are many different types of psychotherapeutic modalities (e.g., Talk Therapy, CBT, Narrative Therapy, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, etc.), and depending on what you’re experiencing, a certain modality may be best. Working with a therapist that has shared experiences or even specializes in the issues you are facing, may help to enhance your overall experience, strengthen rapport, and even improve therapeutic outcomes.

Safety, Empathy & Trust

Before we can get into the nitty gritty of the therapy process, the environment must feel safe and we have to sense that the person we’re talking to is both empathetic and trustworthy. That can take time to cultivate––especially when our nervous systems are dysregulated due to trauma(s). Go slow and listen closely to your gut. You’ll know if you’re in the right place and have found a therapist you feel aligned with.

Supportive Listening & Communication Style

To make any headway in therapy, feeling truly seen and heard by your therapist is a must. This is especially important because we don’t always get that out of our relationships and day-to-day lives. If we don’t feel that our therapist is genuinely listening and asking thoughtful questions for the purpose of better understanding us and our experiences, we aren’t likely to stick around let alone share the deepest parts of ourselves.

Therapy is largely about communication, so it’s always a good idea to find out whether your therapist feels able to communicate with you in a manner that encourages how you learn best. For example, some of us are verbal learners while others may benefit from a more visual or experiential approach. Make sure your communication styles gel so that you can get the most out of the therapy process.

Good Rapport

You can usually tell within the first few moments of a conversation whether you have chemistry with someone. Therapy is no different! It’s so important to feel that you “click” with your therapist because the success of the therapeutic process hinges largely on the strength of your rapport.

Goal Setting

Goal setting is an important part of the therapeutic process. But we don’t always go into therapy with specific goals in mind. Sometimes we just know that we want to feel better and that’s OK! Ideally, you and your therapist will work together to flesh out your goals so that A) they can create a treatment plan that you feel aligned with, B) you both have a clear picture of what you’re working toward, and C) they can help you remain accountable through the process.

A Final Word

At our clinic we take a mind-body approach to supporting mental health, offering Psychotherapy, Naturopathic Mental Health Support, and even IV Therapy to help support better mental and emotional well-being.