Tips on Finding The Right Therapist For You

So you’ve started the near everlasting process of searching for a therapist. In a city like Austin, Texas that task can feel much like searching for a needle in a haystack! With all the options available to you, however, finding a therapist that feels close to “just right” does not have to be such an arduous task. Take a moment to consider some of my tips below to stimulate your courageous process:

1) Have a consultation
This is the moment right before a first session that some therapists enjoy offering to prospective clients. A consultation can take the form of a free 15-30 minute phone call or even meeting in person at their office. This moment gives us the chance to become better acquainted, and more deeply, it allows us to see if we’re a good fit to work together. This is the perfect time to get a glimpse of what’s to come between us as therapist and client –
use it wisely!

2) Ask questions!
Sometimes new clients get a little shy about asking questions of a therapist, but a good therapist welcomes them! We love to help in the best way possible and having questions provides us a fertile ground for us to hear out what’s important to you. Is there a specific therapy style you’re interested in? Are you wondering how our work fits your therapeutic
needs? Fire away at those questions and let us hear them! You may discover something that sparks your interest before stepping into therapy.

3) Shop around
Therapy isn’t “one size fits all” given the many factors playing a role in building a solid therapeutic relationship. Sometimes the first therapist you reach out to isn’t the right fit, and that’s perfectly okay. What can be helpful is having a handful of therapists to connect with so that your search is activated by momentum. Contacting a few at a time can help you start to fine tune what you’re looking for from therapy and your future therapist, thus getting you closer to a near perfect fit. Something special to note: within the first few sessions, if you aren’t resonating with us as your therapist, then please speak up! I promise a solid therapist won’t bite back about your feedback and will instead use the opportunity to provide the appropriate referrals for your needs.

4) Consider your financial options
When searching for the right therapist, in Austin you have a wide range of financial options available to you. For example, some agencies and practices offer sliding scale fees to provide counseling at a reduced rate. There are also some practices that accept insurance or provide superbills for your potential financial reimbursement. With therapy being an investment with your long-term benefit in mind, consider what fits best for you to give to your therapeutic process a more nourished foundation.

5) What’s your schedule?
As standard as it may seem, not every therapist works the typical Monday through Friday work week. Many therapists, including myself, enjoy working weekday evening hours and weekends due to the flexibility it can bring with scheduling. In order to maintain regular weekly sessions in the beginning of the process, it can be important to establish a standing
appointment with your therapist. A good therapist will have a solid schedule to work with in order to accommodate their appointments with clients. To meet us halfway with scheduling, consider what times and days of the week you’re available to meet with us. Therapy is sustained through a time commitment so also take into reflection where you’re possibly coming from and where you’re going to afterwards on appointment days. A
therapist who’s a right fit won’t feel so much like an obligation to you with attending when the scheduled time is close to what works for everyone involved.

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Thank you for taking the time to read my first post – I’m excited for much more to bring you! I hope these tips cultivate some clarity to your search process. If there are any questions, comments, or inquiries, then please contact me using my request form. I look forward to connecting with you!