How to choose a therapist

Let's talk about how a mental health professional can help you get to where you want to be.

I'm going to say that the relationship with the professional is the most important part. As you start looking on Psychology Today, on Instagram, on good 'ol Google for someone in your area (or who exclusively works online) - you need to look for someone who matches you with their attitude, their sense of comfort and humor, and their values as a person. As you choose a professional - interview them and make sure the relationship will be supportive in both directions (the professional believes they can help you with your specific issues and goals, and you feel comfortable going deep with this person).

The next thing to consider when choosing a professional is what they specialize in. Now, there are literally hundreds of ways that a professional can specialize and get more detailed education and experience.

Things like EMDR, Internal Family Systems, Trauma Informed Care, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Hypnotherapy, etc, etc.

I have my own beliefs about many of these specialties and how they work at sustaining positive change in someone's life, vs. retraumatizing, vs. just not being the best technique at the time.

*But only you can know that for yourself and be guided by the professional. For example - EMDR is a fantastic technique - for someone that has resources and can actively work with intense emotions without being overwhelmed. EMDR will not likely work as effectively for someone who consistently has panic attacks and feels like their emotional capacity is already overflowing. *But you have to investigate and discuss these things with a professional to find out.

Many times, a combination of therapies and techniques is most effective. Things like breathwork, talk therapy, intentional exercise, and hypnotherapy can be a great selection of specialties for someone to rotate through as they go through different experiences in their life. I would recommend though, starting just one to start and see how it works for you, and if you like the professional that's guiding you through it.

So as you choose a professional to help you in any of the spiritual, mental, emotional, or physical aspects of yourself (or a combination of them) - first make sure you choose a professional that fits you. Then look to see what modalities you might like to try. And after that - calibrate on what's working for you and what's not.

Now, this doesn't look like "what I feel good about in the moment" because a lot of the time growth is super challenging and uncomfortable in the moment. So look at it as a progression - how far have you gone toward what you want and what have you learned along the way? Where have you succeeded?

If you’re interested in the modalities I specialize in, you can check my “Services” tab above, or send me an email and ask any further questions you may have. Either way, choosing a professional is not a life sentence and if you don’t end up liking the person, that’s just fine - find one that you do love.
And a bonus - you don’t have to stay with them forever either. Sometimes you get to “graduate” and move on because the professional helped you get to where you wanted.

I hope you find someone that builds you up as much as some of my mentors and therapists and coaches have. Let me know what you find out!

-Anne