Psychologist, mental health, therapy, counseling, mental wellness, finding a psychologist, choosing a therapist, psychotherapy options, psychological support, mental health services.Why go to a psychologist? We told you earlier. Suppose now you realize that you want to try psychotherapy. Now you need to know how to find a good psychologist or psychotherapist: where to look for him and what to look for when choosing. Let’s look into it.
As any specialist who works with the health of their clients, the psychologist must first be safe. It would be best if you made sure that psychotherapy would be beneficial.
Popularity, blog subscribers, and online reviews do not guarantee professionalism. The main thing you need to rely on when choosing a psychologist is their level of professionalism. This level includes:
Education. After all, psychology is a science, not folk wisdom. A college degree in psychology indicates that the psychologist has a footing in the form of a scientific psychological background and knows how the psyche functions.
Psychotherapeutic training. Not all psychologists work with clients. Some do research and academic work (read here about how psychologists differ from psychotherapists and psychiatrists). To practice psychotherapy, a psychologist needs additional training. He chooses a scientifically recognized approach (such as Gestalt or cognitive-behavioral therapy). He studies the methods of work in it. He also undergoes supervision by more experienced colleagues.
Personal therapy. The psychologist must be aware of psychotherapy’s effects on the client. Besides, his own problems will interfere with his work, and before helping others, he has to sort a lot out for himself.
This is the background a psychologist needs to work successfully and safely with clients.
How Many Years of Experience Should a Psychologist Have?
There is a widespread belief that the longer a psychologist works, the more effective they are. This is only sometimes the case. You can be helped by a psychologist who has three years of experience. In contrast, a specialist with more experience will not do. In psychotherapy, as in any live human interaction, much is individual.
But there are a few universal qualities that distinguish an effective psychologist from an ineffective one:
- Constantly strives to develop in the profession;
- Analyzes work with the client between sessions;
- Takes feedback from the client.
What else to Watch for?
Age, interests, and personal history are all critical in establishing a trusting rapport. It is not unreasonable to ask about the following:
- About the approach to clients. Some psychologists are active during meetings: challenge, insist, and provoke you, while others choose a less energetic approach. You need to find the person with the style of work that is most comfortable for you.
- Who he knows how to work with. Even if you have no particular reason to meet with a psychologist, some topics probably concern you. For example, if you are a minority.
- How the suggested approach works. It is worth knowing what to expect if you have yet to experience psychologists. What does communication with the specialist look like, what form of therapy does he offer, how is progress measured, and what does the result look like?
The psychologist will probably offer you a few more sessions at the end of the first meeting – this is normal. It takes some time to establish a rapport of trust. Without it, it won’t be easy to achieve effective teamwork.
Be guided by your own feelings and how you feel after the sessions. The main goal of the psychologist’s work is to help you improve your quality of life. Psychotherapy can provoke unpleasant experiences, but it should do you good, not harm.
It is essential to realize that it may not be possible to find “your” psychologist immediately. However, it is probably worth stopping if you have already tried several specialists and leave after three to five sessions each time. Continue with classes with someone who meets all professional training criteria.
