How To Find The Best Psychologist For You
Choosing to get help for your mental health is one of the best things you can do for yourself – but it can be hard to make an educated decision when trying to find a psychologist that’s right for you. In some cases, having a therapist that doesn’t suit you can lead to even more anxiety and stress, which is the opposite of what we’re here for.
That’s why it’s important to find the best psychologist for your specific situation, and know what to look for when choosing a long-term mental health expert.
Finding a Good Fit
One crucial part of finding the right psychologist is as simple as it sounds: do they fit you and your personality? Many things – like personal beliefs and values, fears, behavioural triggers, and past experiences – all contribute to who we are, and the right therapist for you will align with what you need. Are you devoutly religious or completely atheist? Do you have minor anxiety or deep-rooted past trauma to overcome? Will it be you alone, or with a spouse or other family member? By knowing what you require, you know what to look for once you’re in the session.
Research Their Background and Therapy Style
In the age of social media, it’s basically standard practice to do some digging on the people we interact with – so don’t feel bad about looking into the background and therapy style of a potential psychologist you have in mind. Every doctor excels in different areas, and mental health professionals are no exception, so look around for those that do great work in the fields most important to you: relationship counseling, depression treatment, etc.
Once you’ve got your list narrowed down, book a session and see how you connect. If it feels natural and you have a great rapport, that’s great! But it might become clear that it’s not going to work moving forward, and that’s okay, too. Above all, we want all patients to be comfortable and feel safe, so don’t be shy about moving on if necessary.
Rely on Referrals and Word of Mouth
You may have heard friends, coworkers, or other family members give glowing reviews about someone they had a session with recently. You might have seen a conversation on social media about clinics and psychologists that others recommend (or not). If you trust the source, it may be worth checking out their choices to see how well they mesh with your needs. Often, it’s easier to trust “internet strangers”, because of the anonymity involved, and to start a conversation and get a lot of different perspectives, too.
Avoiding Potential Problems
One of the biggest mistakes that many clients make is choosing the “first available” psychologist in a list, or looking on a map to see who is close by. Often, this results in a mismatch of personalities and priorities – with the final outcome being that nobody is satisfied and the problem is potentially worse.
Your psychologist is someone that you will have to trust and be comfortable with, and the effort to find the best one for you is worth it. At Flourish Psychological Services, we have plenty of experience in matching clients with suitable therapists, and over the years we have seen countless success stories because of it. If you need help in your mental health journey, don’t be afraid to reach out to us for one of our many therapy styles – because something better is just around the corner!