EP 33 - Dr. Simon & Dr. Humphrey - How to Find a Therapist

Finding a therapist can seem like an impossible task. Questions like, is therapy right for me? Where do I begin? Or how long will treatment last may be swarming around your head. In this discussion with each other, Signe and Simone break down what therapy is all about, the different treatment models, whether it's right for you, and how to find a therapist that's a good fit and to avoid the red flags! It's not an easy world to navigate and we're hoping that this episode makes finding a therapist a little bit smoother and more accessible. We could only cover so much in one episode, so feel free to reach out to us with any questions or comments!
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[@108u9]

Some sharings to expand upon what Signe and Nicole, sorry I mean Simone shared 😆
• The self of therapist
E.g. how aware is he/she about his/her hang ups, how well they attune to you the client, how well they are able to receive and integrate feedback about your work together, how well they work with setbacks in therapy such as when the client is not progressing well) is IMO a significant area for consideration because it’s the foundation that the model and everything they do gets layered on. I always keep in mind that the therapist is also human so I do give some degree of grace but beyond a certain degree, it’s worth considering a different professional if the lack in these areas is evident, and particularly if it is affecting your progress
• Having a map
While I think this may be model specific, my preference is to work with someone also has one eye on the overall map and plan. They don’t shoehorn you into it, but neither are they so close in that they don’t really have an idea where what each session is working towards. They can take in your goals and expectations as a client, and integrate that with a map of where this all is headed. Because therapy is expensive financially, and in terms of time and energy, I don’t like feeling that we’re talking in circles and going round and round week after week. Progression isn’t linear and there are off days, but I think there’s distinction to be made from circling aimlessly without a target
• Continued training
I am also biased towards therapist who continue to train and refine their work. If anything, it shows that he/she takes their work seriously, and is willing to continue to re-examine and train up to get better.
Research indicates that experience does not strongly correlate to client positive outcomes but rather a therapist who knows their stuff and practices, has a higher likelihood to help produce good outcomes.
• Your willingness to do the work
This isn’t therapist related but IMO an area worth considering is as clients are we willingness to take ownership of our issues. Therapy isn’t a dumping ground where the therapist does all the heavy lifting while we sit back. “Help them to help you” so to speak. It doesn’t mean you have to pander or follow suit to whatever they said or suggest. But rather, are you willing to show up in session? Therapy is more akin to working together than seeing a medical doctor (where they are dictating and in the driving seat). It takes two to clap.