So how do you ensure therapy will work?
You have good reasons for looking for help. If you could solve the problems yourself, then you would have done it already. So you naturally seek help. Successful therapy arises out of the relationship between you and the therapist. It is not always about the techniques they use, though these are important.
The attitudes and world view of the therapist not only affect the approaches they take to therapy and the techniques they use. They change what they are sensitive to, how they will go about helping you, and the range of options they will come up with for solving your problems. They affect the therapist’s flexibility, the way they listen and the nonverbal exchanges in the form of presence and energy that happen around and through the therapy process. These all influence the rapport and trust you develop with the therapist and thus success.
So, ultimately being successful in getting help to solve whatever your problems are to filter the therapist.
Considerations for choosing a therapist.
- Recommendations from friends for a particular therapist, though therapy is very individual so someone who works for them may not work for you so these other criteria may help.
- Look at their training, and the professional organisations help a little. Though people good at study and qualifying in examines and essays may not be good at implementation.
- But maybe a better way is if they have a blog on their website.
- How do they write about what they do?
- Does their writing ring true?
- Are they thinking for themselves?
- Are they a syncretic thinker, that is they can synthesise and blend different points of view, approaches, traditions in ways that apply to different situations?
- Do they write about their approach to your problem?
- What have other people said in their ratings and references on Google?
- Call them.
- How do they answer your questions? Do you feel satisfied and informed?
- Do you think/feel they are well educated?
- What questions do they ask? Specifically, do they take a systems approach, that is asking about the interaction of your problems with the rest of your life?
- It may seem superficial, but do you like the quality of their voice?
- Are they focused on staying on the point and keeping you on track?
- Are they generous with their information, time and energy?
Remember you are in charge. You are hiring a service-provider so don’t be backwards in coming forwards about the interview. As I say in the blog on why therapy fails your success is the product of a collaborative partnership. So you need to right partner.