These Questions Will Help You Decide if Therapy is Right for You
These Questions Will Help You Decide
If Therapy is Right for You
By Megan Dozler
Making the decision to try therapy can be a stressful, fear-ridden, and a daunting decision in itself, let alone deciding which therapist to choose. You may be thinking, “Which one is right for me?” Perhaps you googled “therapists near me” only to find all kinds of therapists listed without a way to tell who’s going to be a good fit or what makes one different from the other.
First, when considering therapy for yourself or loved one, you may feel hesitant. How am I going to open up to a stranger? How will they know how to help me? Can’t I just figure things out by reading a self-help book?
The following questions may help:
How am I going to open up to a stranger?
Therapists get to know you on a personal basis and are generally good at fostering rapport and building a relationship with you. This is key to whether you feel it’ll be a good fit, because you want a therapist who you imagine you’ll feel increasingly more comfortable with. Therapists don’t expect you to disclose all the details of your life right away, and they understand it’ll come in time as you feel safer with them. Realizing, too, that you get to choose how much you open up about, can also give you peace of mind.
How will they know how to help me?
Therapists have specialized training in the issues you’re struggling with, so you’ll want to find someone who’s comfortable and confident in working with the specific issues you’re experiencing. A therapist’s effectiveness is based on his or her temperament, training, and overall clinical experience. For instance, if you’re seeking individual support for depression, then it’s best to find a therapist who says they specialize in it and that they have experience helping clients with it.
Can’t I just figure things out by reading a self-help book?
Because of their training and specializations, therapists have unique abilities to hone-in and help you overcome and resolve issues that are causing problems. And, because research shows that a healthy therapeutic relationship can help foster increased security, seeing a therapist has all kinds of benefits. Reading information in a book just doesn’t result in the kind of changes that therapy does.
Try your therapist out for a few sessions and see how well they seem to understand you. If it doesn’t feel like a good fit, that’s okay. Take the time to find one who is, because it’s worth its weight in gold.
If you are looking for a therapist at this time, give us a call at 707.387.7603; email us at [email protected] to schedule a consultation if you or someone you love is curious about how therapy can help.