How to choose a therapist:

  When you feel confident that a particular therapist's basic criteria (degree, price, location, areas of expertise) meet your needs, you're ready for the first phone call. Although you might be feeling nervous during this initial conversation with the therapist, it can offer an opportunity to evaluate how clearly you are able to communicate with one another and how the rapport feels. Remember, you are the one doing the choosing.

 During your first meeting with the therapist, pay attention to how you feel in their presence and in the therapeutic setting they've created. Note how "listened to" you feel and how their style of responding to you and sharing information makes you feel. Although making yourself vulnerable to another human being is always anxiety provoking, observe how you feel as the session progresses, including changes in your level of ease and shifts in the depth of information you reveal. 



 It's important to remember that therapy is a much, much richer experience than just problem solving. The foundation of good therapy is the relationship you and the therapist build together. Because this relationship is going to be so crucial to the effectiveness of your therapy, it is essential you find someone with whom you feel a comfortable connection, someone who makes you feel understood and accepted, a therapist who creates and maintains an environment within which you can feel safe to explore even the most deeply felt sources of pain or conflict. Choose a therapist with whom it feels very right to establish such a life-changing and life-enhancing relationship. You deserve the best possible therapy experience.

However, you can certainly choose a therapist whom you feel respects your individuality, opinions, and self. You must be able to trust your therapist 100% and if you cannot and feel like you have to lie to your therapist or withhold important information, you are not going to get any real help.

It’s OK to ask point-blank questions about the therapist's experience in your first phone call or first session with them. Don't be shy! After all, it's all about you and your care here. You're interviewing the therapist as much as they are interviewing you. Take the opportunity to ask about the therapist's experience with your issue. For instance, the following questions are all appropriate to ask your therapist in the first session.

• "How long have you been in practice?"
• "Have you seen a lot of clients with similar concerns to my own?"
• When was the last time you treated someone with a problem similar to mine?"

 Individuals often wonder if they would do better with a female or a male therapist. Trust your instincts to determine if the gender of the therapist is a significant issue for you. It could be that the nature of your particular problem, as well as your own preferences, will lead to a decision that is best suited to you.

Research doesn't show much difference between the quality of therapy outcomes based upon a clinician's degree or training, but it does show that the longer a clinician has been practicing, usually the better client outcomes. This means that experienced therapists will be more likely to help you. However, for your information, the following is a short dictionary of degrees and licenses.

Degrees:

MD: Psychiatrist—Doctor of Medicine


Psychiatrists are medical doctors who undergo four years of residency in psychiatry after receiving their medical degree and become trained in the biology, medical aspects, assessment, and diagnostic treatment of the full range of psychological disorders. As MDs, most psychiatrists only prescribe medications, but some also provide psychotherapy. You will need to clarify this with them.

PhD: Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology


A PhD in clinical or counseling psychology qualifies the professional to become a therapist as well as a researcher. PhDs have undergone 5- 7 years of graduate study in psychological assessment and diagnostic treatment of the full range of psychological disorders. Some psychologists with a PhD work in an academic settings and clinical practices.

PsyD: Doctor of Psychology

Psychologists with PsyD degrees are prepared to be clinical practitioners and interpreters of research. Similar to PhDs, psychologists with a PsyDs have undergone 5- 7 years of graduate study in assessment and diagnostic treatment of the full range of psychological disorders. However, the training of therapists with a PsyD emphasizes fieldwork and clinical experience but not research.

MA: Master of Arts 


An MA degree is essentially a counseling degree with an emphasis on clinical experience and psychotherapy. Therapists with an MA have undergone 2- 3 years of graduate study in the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of mental disorders and emotional issues.

MS: Master of Science

Individuals with an MS degree in psychology have undergone 2- 3 years of graduate study in the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of mental disorders and have a focus on clinical research. Professionals with this degree are often more inclined toward research than clinical practice and usually have a specific area of focus.

 EdD: Doctor of Education


Professionals with EdDs have undergone 5- 7 years of graduate study in education, child development and learning disabilities, education policy, and general psychology. Therapists with this degree are particularly focused on developmental and educational assessment, educational planning, and treatment of development issues.

 MSW: Master of Social Work

Social Workers apply social work theory, knowledge, methods and ethics to restore or enhance the functioning (social, psychosocial, or biopsychosocial) of individuals, couples, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Social workers are educated and trained to consider their clients within a social context and, in particular, to be attentive to diversity and the ways in which cultural influences affect individuals and families. Professionals with this degree have undergone 2- 3 years of graduate study.

 Licenses:

PSY: Clinical Psychologist

Clinical psychologists hold PhD degrees and are licensed to practice psychology, including assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of the full range of psychological and emotional issues. Psychologists are trained to utilize a variety of approaches to assessment and therapy and work with adults, adolescents, children, couples, families, and groups.

 MFT: Marriage and Family Therapist


A marriage and family therapist has a Master’s degree in counseling with a particular emphasis on marriage, family and child issues. MFTs are trained to understand problems from both individual and family systems perspectives; develop intervention skills; incorporate cultural, age-specific, and gender-respectful understanding in theory and practice; and handle clinical, ethical, legal and general professional aspects of their practice.

 LCSW: Licensed Clinical Social Worker


The LCSW is a state licensure designation for practitioners with a Master's or Doctoral degree in social work. Clinical Social Work, a practice specialty of Social Work, utilizes social work theory, knowledge, methods, and ethics to restore or enhance the functioning (social, psychosocial, or biopsychosocial) of individuals, couples, families, and groups, organizations and communities. Clinical Social Workers apply specialized clinical knowledge and skills to assess, diagnose, and treat mental and emotional conditions and addictions. Treatment methods include individual, marital, couple, family and group counseling and psychotherapy. 



 Effective Psychotherapy Includes:

• Open and honest communication
• A warm and accepting atmosphere
• Trust in the therapist and the process
• Commitment to therapy by the individual
• Willingness to change, even when difficult
• A skilled and experienced therapist
• The growth of hope in one's life
• Developing new coping skills for the future