Some tips on finding a therapist

Posted by Alice Moses, LMHC

Have you been considering starting therapy but aren't sure where to start? Are you feeling stuck or confused about the process of searching for a new therapist? In this blogpost I will discuss some of the reasons people seek therapy and share some resources and strategies on searching for a new therapist. If you have suggestions that have worked for you in the past, please share in the comment section!

The first thing you may want to consider before beginning a therapist search is to give some thought to the reasons you're seeking therapy and/or identify what you hope to get out of therapy. Some questions to consider might include: how long have you been struggling with this issue? How does it impact you? What (if anything) has helped in the past? Clarifying your own reasons for beginning therapy can help you, and any prospective therapist, figure out if the two of you would be a good fit to work together (more about client-therapist "fit" below).
 
Why do people go to therapy? People seek therapy for a variety of reasons. Some common issues that therapy can help with are: anxiety, self-exploration, perfectionism/a tough inner critic, feeling overwhelmed, low self-esteem, imposter syndrome, difficult family relationships, grief, trauma, depression, relationship issues, and life transitions (among many other reasons). In short, therapy is for everyone! Even if you are "successful" or a high achiever, therapy can still be helpful. This article from Inc. Magazine details 5 Reasons Successful People Need Therapy. While Margarita Tartakovsky, M.S. on PsychCentral talks about Making the Most of Therapy.

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