What to Look for in a Mental Health Therapist

• What to Look for in a Mental Health Therapist
• From the HealthyPlace Mental Health Blogs
• Bonding with Van Gogh Because of My Schizoaffective Disorder 
• Most Popular HealthyPlace Articles Shared by Facebook Fans
• Self-Help Quote

Seeking professional help and support for any mental health challenge is a sign of strength and determination. While there sadly continues to be a stigma around certain aspects of mental health and mental illness, mental health therapy is rapidly becoming a mainstream service. Because of this, there are a lot of therapy options and therapists to choose from. If you decide that counseling is a good option for you, it’s helpful to know what to look for in a mental health therapist.

Therapy is far from a one-size-fits-all approach to mental health and wellbeing. Would it surprise you to know that among all of the different professionals and all the different therapeutic approaches for all the unique challenges people face, there is one single most important factor that predicts the success of therapy?

The number one thing to look for in a mental health therapist is how well their personality fits with yours. The therapeutic relationship, that alliance between counselor and client, is more important than the type of mental health therapy used (such as CBT, DBT, ACT, etc.).

While a therapist’s credentials are of course important, and practical concerns like flexible scheduling do matter, the key is how you connect. This isn’t a friendship, of course, but you need to feel that your therapist listens and deeply understands you. You should feel comfortable and at ease sharing personal aspects of your life. Allow that connection, also known as rapport, to guide you when choosing a therapist.

Recommended Video

Going to a therapist, especially the first time, can be confusing. Watch these tips and find the right therapist for you.

Sources

American Psychological Association. (2009). How psychotherapy works. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2009/12/wampold

Shpancer, N. (2016). 10 ways to spot a good therapist. Psychology Today. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/insight-therapy/201603/10-ways-spot-good-therapist

Articles Related to Mental Health Therapy

• Mental Health Therapy Benefits
• Depression Therapy: How Psychotherapy for Depression Works
• Anxiety Therapy: 5 Benefits of Counseling for Anxiety
• Do You Need Therapy for Anxiety? Decide Using This Checklist
• My Experience with Therapy
• Types of Mental Health Counselors: Finding a Good One
• Clients and Success in Therapy
• What Makes a Good Borderline Personality Disorder Therapist?
• Types of Therapy in Psychology: A Complete List
• How to Find a Therapist Who’s Right for You
• We Need to Have Open Conversations About Therapy

Today's Question: If you’ve worked with a therapist, what has the experience been like for you? We invite you to participate by sharing your thoughts, experiences, and knowledge on the HealthyPlace Facebook page.

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From the HealthyPlace Mental Health Blogs

On all our blogs, your comments and observations are welcomed.

• Mental Toughness Is Valued Over Mental Wellness
• Family Estrangement for Mental Health Reasons
• Why It's Important to Slow Down as a Self-Harmer
• When Sleep Becomes the Only Escape from Bipolar Depression
• What Simone Biles Taught Me About Healing
• Worrying About My Cat Being Alone
• Shift Self-Talk: Don’t Listen to What Anxiety Says About You
• Mental Illness Is Not an Excuse to Be Unkind
• How to Defend Yourself from Verbal Abuse
• How to Stop Sabotaging Yourself with Borderline PD
• How Long Should My Postpartum Depression Last?
• My 'Death Story' Compels Me to Work Hard Despite Depression
• My Recent Experience with Paralyzing Anxiety
• Protecting Your Social Energy in a Demanding World
• When You Feel Alone in Your Anxiety
• Create a Soothing Sanctuary for Your Mental Health
• My Child Wants to Keep His ADHD
• Prioritize Your ED Recovery Over Someone Else's
• When Anxiety Makes You Feel Worthless
• 4 Things to Do for Your Gut-Brain Axis to Help Anxiety
• How a Self-Harm Recovery Journal Can Help You Heal
• Schizoaffective Disorder and Experiencing a Van Gogh Exhibit
• In Defence of 'Ghosting' for Your Mental Health and Safety
• I Hate Talking About Bipolar as a Disability
• I Feel Like a Burden: Is This Self-Stigma or Reality?
• Do I Have Family Trauma?
• Goodbye, 'Speaking Out About Self-Injury'
• To the Person Who Wants to Quit Eating Disorder Recovery
• Educating Others About Anxiety
• What to Do When You Can't Get to a Doctor's Appointment
• Making Decisions Based on Intuition
• Allow Yourself Self-Care Despite What Anxiety Says
• Staying Strong Through Verbal Abuse
• Depressed, Don't Want to Talk to Anyone at Work? Read This
• Family Trauma and Unintentional Gaslighting
• Stepping Toward Social Connection (and Better Mental Health)
• Borderline PD Makes It Difficult to Make and Keep Friends

Feel free to share your thoughts and comments at the bottom of any blog post. And visit the mental health blogs homepage for the latest posts.

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From HealthyPlace YouTube Channel

Elizabeth Caudy's schizoaffective disorder doesn't keep her from going to exhibits of Van Gogh's work--in fact, her illness makes her feel closer to the mentally ill artist. Learn about her story: Watch.

Subscribe to the HealthyPlace YouTube channel

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Most Popular HealthyPlace Articles Shared by Facebook Fans

Here are the top 3 mental health articles HealthyPlace Facebook fans are recommending you read:

1. How Bad Is a Bipolar Episode? You Only Know After It’s Over
2. Having Faith Can Help Your Anxiety
3. My Child's Evaluation for ADHD Made Me Feel Judged

If you're not already, I hope you'll like us on Facebook too. There are a lot of wonderful, supportive people there.

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Quote About Self-Help

“Instead of worrying about what you cannot control, shift your energy to what you can create.”

Read more self-help quotes.

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That's it for now. If you know of anyone who can benefit from this newsletter or the HealthyPlace.com site, I hope you'll pass this onto them. Please share the newsletter on any social network you belong to. For updates throughout the week, follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, subscribe to our YouTube channel, or follow us on Instagram.

Thank you,
Deborah

Community Partner Team
HealthyPlace.com - America's Mental Health Channel
"When you're at HealthyPlace.com, you're never alone."
http://www.healthyplace.com