Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) season is upon us! For therapists, this is often our “busiest” season, as clients may return for check-ups and new clients may be compelled to seek out service for the first time. So this begs the question - how do people find their therapists?
Below is a step-by-step guide to help facilitate the process of how I would suggest finding a therapist. This is by no means a definitive process, but a few ideas of how I may support a loved one in finding the right match for them.
Consider your needs and preferences - what would you identify as your main presenting challenges? Would you want to seek out a counsellor virtually, in-person or with the optionality for both? Male or female? When is your best availability for regular meetings? Do you care about their lived experiences? Is there a budget for therapy? Reflecting on a few ideas of who could best support you may narrow the overwhelming search.
Ask for referrals - if you feel comfortable, asking a friend or family member for recommendations of services they have used could be a good place to start. There is a chance a clinician may not feel comfortable taking on related clients due a conflict of interest. However, this is a great way to explore resources that already exist within your community and/or who support individuals with similar lived experiences.
Begin the search - Google, psychology today, social media, etc. are all common places where therapists may advertise their services. My recommendation is to limit searches to approximately 30 minutes a day. There are lots of wonderful resources out there, but it can quickly become overwhelming if parameters are not set around the search.
Book consultations - Depending on how quickly you’d like to start therapy, I’d recommend booking 2-5 consultations with different therapists before booking a session. The purpose of a consultation is to meet and greet with therapists to assess match, ask questions and explore initial therapeutic goals together. Having a few free meetings with different therapists might help give you a sense of who you match with best, although the number of meetings is less important than the reflection itself.
Note that consultations should be free, and it may be a red flag if they aren’t or if you’re pressured into booking a session.
Ask questions!! Getting a sense of a therapists previous experience, asking about their background, availability, approach to presenting problems, etc. may give you the information required to make an informed decision.
Book a session - After conducting a few consultations, initiate a session with the therapist you felt was the most appropriate choice. This choice could be based on fit, budget, availability, etc. Remember, if you decide you don’t connect well with the therapist you choice, you can always change your mind!
Lastly, if you come across someone who isn’t a good fit for you, do not hesitate to ask them for referrals! They will likely be connected to other clinicians who may be a better fit for the services required. Happy searching!
