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Belongs to: Therapist reacts to Sick Boi Ren
@HeartSupport
Where do I find a therapist like you? What do I look for when finding one? Or what should I look to avoid?
Edit: additional to this, what can someone do in the first 1 or 2 sessions to really open up or speed the process up if that makes sense? What does a therapist look for to get a deeper understanding I guess?
Hey there!
There are many routes to finding a therapist!
Psychology Today: Health, Help, Happiness + Find a Therapist has lists that you can find local therapists by putting in your zip code!
Also, I’ve gone through better help and I was able to select the type of help i wanted, the issues i specifically wanted to address, and they paired me with someone who fit those things! There is some trouble with insurance sometimes, but some people are able to work with you. In the intake call, ask them if they take whatever insurance your have and ask how their billing works.
The other questions, i am not really qualified to answer. But I’ve had 5 therapists in the last 7 years and the ones i have worked best with are the ones who have empathy, have a deep understanding for my symptoms and psychopathology, and have a combination of focusing on symptom management AND digging into the past.
I would say having clarity and specificity in what your goals are for therapy could help you get out of it what you want. Do you want to do some trauma healing work? Do you want to learn coping skills? Boundaries in relationship? Your therapist can help you figure out what your values are and kind of synthesize those goals and figure out what to work on first, but if you come in with some idea that could only be helpful.
For the first session, honesty is the best policy. Just be real with them about exactly what you’re facing and it will help them to create a treatment plan that fits that. It’s when people withhold and hide things they’re struggling with that the treatment plan might not address everything.
When looking for a therapist, i had an intake call once where the therapist constantly cut me off. I didnt choose her as a therapist because i see listening as a core counseling skill. So cutting off, if they dont have the training for the specific thing you want to address, lack of professionalism, all are yellow or red flags to look for.
I hope you find the right therapist to help you work on things! We are here for you here at heartsupport and so proud you are taking this step! <3
Regarding your additional question, it will really depend on how the connection takes place between the therapist and you. At the core of the therapeutic process is a relationship, and the first couple of sessions help determine if whether or not you’ll want to pursue further with them. They are very much about getting to know yourself in presence of them, and how comfortable you’d feel (or not) with them. You might feel an urge to share everything you need immediately, or you may feel the need to take things more slowly - and either way would be okay.
A therapist will be there to guide, support, listen, but a good therapist will never inquire beyond your own limits or pressure you to open up. You will set the pace. The real understanding of who you are, what you went through and what are your needs, will unfold and deepen as the relation grows, which takes time.
In a general manner, if you are in a position where you expect for things to unfold quickly, then communicating this need to the therapist is the best thing to do. On top of your conversations, there’s also a level of meta-communication about your sessions and what you want to get out of them, that will be very important to nurture over time. Your therapist would be basically an ally who adapts, with you, to your needs and what may arise. It’s a journey in itself!