How to Find the Right Therapist & Counselling Approach for Your Mental Health Journey
Seeking therapy can be a transformative step towards healing and self-discovery, but finding the right therapist and therapeutic treatments can be daunting. With numerous approaches available, it's helpful to explore what resonates with you and aligns with your specific needs. Whether you're grappling with anxiety, depression, recovering from child abuse, processing grief, or trauma, there are expert counsellors and therapeutic styles that can be tailored to support your journey towards healing and growth.
Where to begin?
Self-Reflection
Begin by reflecting on your needs, goals, and preferences. What are the specific challenges you're facing? Are there any therapeutic approaches that resonate with you? Understanding your requirements will help narrow down your search for a therapist and suitable treatments.
However, if you’re new to therapy, seeking support to kickstart your journey is understandable and experienced therapists will happily guide you. Many therapists offer initial consultations or phone calls to discuss your concerns and determine if they are a good fit for you. Take advantage of these opportunities to ask questions, express your expectations, and assess the therapist's approach and personality. Ask yourself if you feel comfortable in their presence?
Consider Accessibility
Accessibility is crucial when choosing a therapist and treatment options. Factors such as location, cost, and availability of appointments can impact your ability to consistently engage in therapy. Evaluate what is feasible for you in terms of logistics. Ask the therapist if they can set aside a regular time for you, and let them know if you prefer to have your consultation and ongoing sessions in-person or online. You may also want to check if their office space is calming and comfortable.
Evaluate Therapist Credentials
When researching potential therapists, verify their credentials and qualifications. Look for licensed professionals with experience and expertise in treating your specific mental health concerns. The BC Association of Clinical Counsellors website will tell you if a Registered Clinical Counsellor is in good standing. Additionally, consider factors such as cultural competence and specialization in particular areas if relevant to your needs.
Trust Your Instincts
Ultimately, trust your instincts when selecting a therapist. It's essential to feel comfortable, understood, and supported in the therapeutic relationship. If you don't sense a good fit after a few sessions, don't hesitate to explore other options. Feel free to discuss with your therapist any aspects that aren't working for you, and they might offer suggestions for another therapist who could be a better match.
Monitor Progress
At the beginning of your counselling journey, you may be asked to name what you’d like to get out of counselling, or what differences you’d like to see in your life. As you engage in therapy, pay attention to your progress and how you're feeling. It's normal to experience ups and downs along the way. Communicate openly with your therapist about your experiences, challenges, and goals to ensure you're on the right path.
Regularly check in with your counsellor to see where you and your counsellor feel you are with your stated goals. If you are looking to reduce anxiety symptoms for example, take note of how frequently and to what degree you are currently experiencing those symptoms compared to the when you started therapy.
Another aspect of finding the right therapist is to familiarize yourself with the various therapy modalities and treatment options available. Ultimately, your counsellor will suggest the best approach, but it may help you with the selection process. Explore which ones below align best with your needs and values.
We've created a short guide below to assist you in exploring various approaches to therapy. Follow our blog or social media to learn more about each modality over the coming weeks.
Art Therapy: For those who find it challenging to articulate their emotions verbally, art therapy offers a creative outlet. Through various artistic mediums, from sketching to working with clay, individuals can express their thoughts and feelings, leading to increased self-awareness and emotional processing. Making art can be uniquely grounding and soothing for the nervous system. It can also help people to get “unstuck” by seeing other perspective and paths to problem solving.
Expressive Arts Therapy offers clients the opportunity to work in the imagination and in the senses via any and all creative modalities. This can provide a safe container and a new perspective when processing therapeutic material as well as an opportunity to encounter inner resources and surprises. No art background or experience is required. Expressive Arts-based and play therapy methods offer a way for children to process in a way that is developmentally appropriate and strengths-based.
Focusing-Oriented Therapy: This approach emphasizes listening to the body's subtle cues and sensations to access deeper emotions and insights. By honing in on bodily sensations and feelings, individuals can explore and resolve underlying issues contributing to their distress.
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing): Particularly effective for trauma recovery, EMDR involves bilateral stimulation such as eye movements or taps, to facilitate the brain's processing of distressing memories. A wholistic method, it guides people through naming the negative meaning that has been made of past trauma, as well as processing body sensations that store the memory of trauma. Altogether, this helps to reduce the emotional charge associated with traumatic experiences, fostering healing and resolution. It is a carefully structured process, offering a safe container throughout, that an EMDR therapist will have specialized training to offer.
EFT (Emotionally Focused Therapy) for Couples Counselling: Rooted in attachment theory, EFT focuses on repairing relational bonds and addressing underlying emotional needs. Within the safety of the therapeutic relationship, EFT helps individuals identify and express their core needs and emotions with their partners, leading to greater intimacy, connection and security.
The Gottman Method of Couples Counselling: A research-based approach aimed at improving relationship quality. Therapists assess a couple’s dynamics to identify communication patterns leading to conflict. Through structured interventions, couples learn effective communication, conflict management, and deepen emotional bonds. The method prioritizes disarming verbal conflict, enhancing intimacy, removing growth barriers, leading to greater empathy. By strengthening friendship and equipping practical skills, it helps couples build healthier, resilient partnerships based on trust and mutual support.
Internal Family Systems: This approach views individuals as containing multiple subpersonalities or "parts" within themselves. The goal is to help clients understand and harmonize these parts, leading to greater internal balance and self-awareness. Therapists guide clients in exploring and communicating with their various parts, facilitating dialogue to uncover underlying beliefs and emotions. Clients learn to access their compassionate core self, which serves as a source of healing and integration. Through techniques like internal dialogue and experiential exercises, individuals work towards resolving inner conflicts, healing past wounds, and cultivating authenticity and inner peace.
Existential-Humanistic Therapy: This modality explores themes of meaning, purpose, and freedom, encouraging individuals to confront existential concerns and embrace personal responsibility. By engaging with life's fundamental questions, individuals can gain clarity, resilience, and a deeper sense of fulfillment.
Other words you might hear in terms of counselling include “Person-centred and Trauma-informed”
Person-Centred Approach to Counselling: Founded on empathy, genuineness, and unconditional positive regard, person-centred counselling provides a safe space for individuals to explore their thoughts, feelings, and experiences without judgement. A foundation for every practicing counsellor, leading them to act as a facilitator, supporting the client's self-exploration and growth. This is not so much a “therapy approach” any longer, but an attitude that all counsellors have, no matter how they practice counselling.
Trauma-Informed Counselling: Acknowledges the widespread impact of trauma on individuals' lives and prioritizes creating a safe and supportive environment for clients to explore their experiences at their own pace. Therapists integrate knowledge about the effects of trauma on the brain and emphasize empowerment, collaboration, and choice in guiding interventions aimed at promoting healing and resilience. This approach aims to create trust, validation, and empowerment while supporting clients in processing and integrating their traumatic experiences.
In conclusion, finding the right therapist and approach for your mental health journey may require patience, perseverance, and a willingness to explore different avenues. Remember that seeking help is a courageous act of self-care, and you deserve support and guidance along the way. With dedication and the right resources, you can embark on a path towards healing, growth, and resilience.
If you have questions about the different types of counselling treatments or would like to discuss which approach might be best for you, please reach out to our intake coordinator, Jenn, at 604-876-7600.