How to Choose the Right Therapist for You
Deciding to start therapy is a big step, and it often comes after considerable thought and maybe some difficult experiences. Once you've made that decision, you're faced with another challenge: how do you actually find the right therapist? With so many options, different types of therapy, various credentials, and the deeply personal nature of the therapeutic relationship, it can feel overwhelming to know where to start. The good news is that finding a good therapist doesn't have to be a mystery. There are concrete things you can look for and questions you can ask to help you make an informed decision. Let's break down what you need to know to find a therapist who's truly the right fit for you.
Understanding Different Types of Therapists
The first step in finding the right therapist is understanding what the different credentials mean. Not all therapists have the same training or are qualified to provide the same services. Here are the main types of licensed mental health professionals:
Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW) have a master's degree in social work and specialize in understanding how social, environmental, and systemic factors affect mental health. They're trained to look at the whole person in context and often work with diverse populations and community-based issues.
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFT) have a master's degree in marriage and family therapy and specialize in relationship dynamics and family systems. While they work with individuals as well as couples and families, their training focuses heavily on how relationships affect mental health.
Licensed Professional Clinical Counselors (LPCC) have a master's degree in counseling psychology and are trained to address a wide range of mental health concerns through various therapeutic approaches. They work with individuals, couples, families, and groups.
Psychologists typically have a doctoral degree (PhD or PsyD) in psychology and have extensive training in psychological assessment, testing, and research in addition to therapy. They often specialize in particular areas and may be involved in both research and clinical practice.
Psychiatrists are medical doctors who specialize in mental health. They're the only mental health professionals who can prescribe medication. Some psychiatrists provide therapy, but many focus primarily on medication management.
At Alba Wellness Group, our team includes licensed clinical social workers, marriage and family therapists, and professional clinical counselors, each bringing their unique expertise and training to serve our clients.
All of these professionals are qualified to provide therapy, and the type of degree matters less than the therapist's specific training, experience, and approach. What's most important is finding someone who specializes in the issues you're dealing with and whose style works for you.
Identifying Your Needs and Goals
Before you start looking for a therapist, take some time to think about what you're hoping to get from therapy. You don't need to have everything figured out, but having some sense of what you want to work on will help you find someone who's a good match.
Are you dealing with a specific issue like anxiety, depression, trauma, or relationship problems? Or are you looking for more general support during a difficult time? Do you have particular goals, like learning to manage panic attacks, processing a traumatic experience, improving your relationships, or just feeling better overall?
Consider whether you need specialized care. For example, if you're dealing with trauma, you'll want a therapist trained in trauma-focused approaches like EMDR. If you're part of the LGBTQ+ community, you might want someone with specific training in LGBTQ+ affirming care. If you're in a relationship and want couples therapy, you'll need someone specifically trained in couples work.
Think about practical considerations as well. Do you need someone who takes your insurance? Do you prefer in-person sessions or are you open to telehealth? What times are you available for appointments? Do you have a preference for the therapist's gender, age, or cultural background?
There's no wrong answer to any of these questions. What matters is being honest with yourself about what you need so you can find a therapist who can actually meet those needs.
What to Look for in a Therapist
Once you know what you're looking for, here are the key qualities and qualifications to consider:
Relevant Experience and Specialization
Look for a therapist who has experience treating the issues you're dealing with. If you're struggling with anxiety, you want someone who regularly works with anxiety and has training in evidence-based approaches for anxiety treatment. If you're dealing with grief, look for someone with expertise in grief and loss. Experience matters because therapists develop a deeper understanding and more refined skills in the areas where they focus their practice.
Appropriate Training and Credentials
Make sure any therapist you're considering is properly licensed in your state. You can typically verify this through your state's licensing board website. Beyond basic licensing, look at their additional training and certifications. Have they pursued specialized training in the approaches they use? Are they certified in specific modalities like EMDR or trained in evidence-based treatments?
Clear Communication About Their Approach
A good therapist should be able to explain how they work in a way that makes sense to you. During an initial consultation, they should be able to tell you what approach they use, why they think it might help with your particular concerns, and what you can generally expect from working with them. If a therapist can't clearly explain their approach or seems vague about how they work, that's a red flag.
Collaborative and Respectful Attitude
Therapy is a collaborative process. Your therapist should treat you as a partner in your own treatment, not as someone to be fixed or told what to do. They should respect your autonomy, ask for your input on treatment goals, and be open to feedback about what is and isn't working for you.
Cultural Competence and Sensitivity
Your therapist should demonstrate understanding and respect for your cultural background, identity, and lived experiences. This is especially important if you're from a marginalized community or have experiences of discrimination. A culturally competent therapist recognizes how systems of oppression and cultural factors affect mental health and adjusts their approach accordingly.
These qualities matter more than superficial factors like where their office is located or how nice their website looks. Focus on finding someone who has the right expertise and approach for your needs and with whom you feel comfortable.
Questions to Ask During Your First Contact
Most therapists offer a free initial consultation, either by phone or video. This is your opportunity to ask questions and get a sense of whether this person might be a good fit. Don't be shy about asking questions. Any good therapist will expect and welcome them. Here are important questions to consider:
About their experience: "What experience do you have working with [your specific issue]?" "What approaches do you use, and why do you think they'd be helpful for what I'm dealing with?" "How long have you been practicing?"
About logistics: "What are your fees?" "Do you take my insurance?" "What's your cancellation policy?" "How often would we meet?" "Do you offer in-person sessions, telehealth, or both?"
About their approach: "What does a typical session with you look like?" "How will we measure progress?" "What happens if I'm not seeing improvement?" "Do you assign homework or practices between sessions?"
About fit: "Have you worked with people from my background or with similar experiences?" "What's your approach to [specific concern that matters to you]?" "How do you handle it if a client disagrees with you or doesn't think something is working?"
Pay attention not just to what they say but how they say it. Do they listen carefully to your questions? Do they answer directly and clearly? Do they seem genuinely interested in understanding your concerns? These things matter as much as the content of their answers.
Recognizing a Good Fit
The therapeutic relationship is one of the most important factors in whether therapy will be helpful for you. Research consistently shows that the quality of the relationship between therapist and client is one of the strongest predictors of therapy outcomes, sometimes even more important than the specific techniques used.
So how do you know if you have a good fit? Here are some signs that the relationship is working:
1. You Feel Heard and Understood
You don't have to agree with everything your therapist says, but you should generally feel like they're genuinely trying to understand you and your experiences. They should be able to reflect back what you're saying in ways that feel accurate and respectful.
2. You Feel Safe Enough to be Honest
Therapy requires vulnerability, and you need to feel safe enough with your therapist to be honest about difficult thoughts, feelings, and experiences. If you find yourself regularly holding back important information because you're worried about how they'll react, that's a problem.
3. You're Challenged but Not Judged
A good therapist will sometimes push you to think differently or try new things, and that can feel uncomfortable. But there's a difference between being appropriately challenged and feeling judged or criticized. You should feel like your therapist believes in you and is on your side, even when they're encouraging you to step outside your comfort zone.
4. You Notice Progress Over Time
Therapy isn't always linear, and you might not feel better every single week. But over time, you should notice some positive changes. Maybe your symptoms are less intense, you're handling situations better, you have more insight into your patterns, or you're making changes you wanted to make. If you've been in therapy for several months and notice absolutely no positive changes, it might be time to reassess the fit.
5. You Trust Your Therapist's Expertise
You should feel confident that your therapist knows what they're doing and has the skills to help you. This doesn't mean they need to have all the answers, but you should generally trust their professional judgment and feel like they're competent in their work.
Trust your instincts. If something feels off about the relationship, even if you can't quite put your finger on what it is, that's important information. You don't need to be able to articulate exactly what's wrong to know that something isn't working.
When to Consider Switching Therapists
Sometimes, despite your best efforts to find a good fit, a therapeutic relationship just doesn't work out. That's okay, and it doesn't mean you've failed or that therapy won't help you. It just means you need to find a different therapist. Here are signs it might be time to switch:
You've been working together for several months without any improvement or with things getting worse. While therapy can sometimes bring up difficult feelings temporarily, you should see some positive movement over time.
You consistently feel judged, criticized, or misunderstood. Therapy should feel supportive even when it's challenging. If you regularly leave sessions feeling worse about yourself, something is wrong.
Your therapist has crossed professional boundaries or behaved in ways that feel inappropriate. This is a serious issue and a clear reason to end the relationship immediately.
Your therapist doesn't seem to specialize in or have adequate expertise for what you need help with. Sometimes you start therapy for one issue and realize you need help with something more specialized, like trauma or eating disorders, that your current therapist isn't equipped to address.
There's just a persistent sense that it's not the right fit, even if you can't identify a specific problem. Sometimes the chemistry just isn't there, and that's nobody's fault.
If you decide to switch therapists, you don't need to provide elaborate explanations. A simple "I've decided to find a therapist who specializes more specifically in the issues I'm dealing with" or "I don't think we're the right fit" is sufficient. A professional therapist will respect your decision and may even help you find someone better suited to your needs.
Making the Most of Your Therapist Search
Finding the right therapist can take time, and that's normal. Many people talk to several therapists before finding one who feels like the right fit. This doesn't mean there's anything wrong with you or that you're being too picky. It means you're taking the time to find someone who can genuinely help you.
Use available resources to help your search. Psychology Today has a therapist directory where you can filter by location, insurance, specialty, and other factors. Your insurance company's website may have a list of in-network providers. Ask friends or family members who've had positive therapy experiences if they have recommendations. Your primary care doctor might be able to provide referrals.
Consider the value of a practice like Alba Wellness Group that offers multiple therapists with different specialties and approaches. This gives you options if your first match isn't quite right, and you can switch to another therapist within the same practice without starting completely over.
Remember that finding a therapist is just the first step. Therapy requires commitment and work from you as well. Even the best therapist can't help you if you're not willing to engage honestly in the process and try new things. But when you find the right therapist, and you're both committed to the work, therapy can be genuinely transformative.
AtAlba Wellness Group, we understand that finding the right therapist is deeply personal. Our diverse team brings different specialties, approaches, and backgrounds, and we're committed to helping you find a therapist who's truly the right fit for your unique needs and goals.Reach out today for a free consultation to start your journey toward the support you deserve.
At Alba Wellness Group, we believe everyone deserves a space where they can heal, grow, and truly belong. If you're ready to take the next step in your journey, we're here to walk alongside you; contact us today for your free consultation.