Finding the Right Therapist

Finding the right therapist is one of the most important decisions you can make. There's a wide range of differences in the way therapists work, their training and the healing they have done on themselves. Here are ten tips to assist you.

1. Find a therapist that you really resonate with. You may feel comfortable with one therapist, but discover that with another therapist, you can work on a much deeper level.
2. Be authentic. Be willing to reveal yourself to the therapist, then observe how the therapist responds to your authenticity. This can be challenging to do, because it may mean being vulnerable with someone you don't know. At the same time, this can also save you a lot of time and money. Why spend ten sessions beating around the bush, only to discover that you aren't completely comfortable with this person at a deeper level?
3. Trust your intuition. If you aren't comfortable with a therapist, counselor or coach, that doesn't mean there's something wrong with you or with the therapist. It simply means that they aren't the best therapist for you at this time.
4. Question the process. Do you feel seen, heard and understood by the therapist? Are they projecting their needs or expectations onto you? Are they empowering you to take charge of your own life? Are you staying in your "comfort zone" or are you moving forward, into new territory?
5. Identify what you want out of therapy. What are your goals and needs? Are your goals internal, external or both? How deep do you want to go at this time? Is this person the right person to help you meet your goals? The clearer you are about what you want, the better you can assess a given therapist.
   
6. Recognize any resistance you may have to therapy. If you feel fear or discomfort, is this an old fear that's resurfacing? Is this something that's holding you back in your life that you need to face? Remember, our first instinct is to flee from situations that elicit fear. One of the goals of therapy is to stay and transform fears and traumas that we've spent years avoiding.
7. Low-cost therapy doesn't necessarily save you money. You can spend years in therapy, going around in circles, skating around on the surface. Therapy that reconnects you with your Energy Body and with your CORE will ultimately save you time and money.
8. Remember that the therapist isn't ultimately responsible for your growth. You are. Most of us are afraid of change, even when what we are doing isn't working. It's the commitment that you make to therapy, counseling or coaching that makes the biggest difference.