Finding the Right Therapist

meajoraswrath:

Before scheduling your first appointment here are some questions to ask your therapist:

• How often do you treat [diagnosis]?
• What approach do you use in therapy?
• Do you use any techniques from CBT/DBT/ACT?
• What do you think is the goal of therapy?
• What’s expected of me?

After your first visit, here are some questions to ask yourself:

• Did I feel heard by my therapist?
• Did I feel the therapist respected me?
• Was the therapist condescending?
• Did the therapist seem like a real person, or did they seem like they were playing a role?
• Did they respect any research I did prior to my visit?
• Did they respect diagnoses made by previous therapists?
• Was the therapist active or passive during the session? Which do I prefer?
• Does it seem like the therapist will be open to hearing about all of my feelings, including frustrations I may have relating to them?
• Did the therapist have a positive outlook on my treatment?
• Did I feel better or worse after the session?
• Did I feel comfortable with the therapist?
• Did my therapist make me feel validated?
• Did it seem like a safe place to express my thoughts and feelings?
• Did I have to educate my therapist on experiences I felt they should have already been educated on (e.g. LGBT issues)?

Things to remember:

• A good therapist will welcome your questions.
• A good therapist will answer your questions using plain, understandable language.
• A good therapist will make you feel comfortable and will be understanding of your anxiety and other reactions.