How to Pick a Therapist
If you’ve ever sought out a new therapist you’re likely familiar with how overwhelming this task can be. There are so many factors to consider when choosing a new therapist and the process can be daunting, especially when paired with mental health struggles and the seemingly endless options. Below are a few considerations to keep in mind when searching for the right therapist to help the process feel more accessible.
Timing
Something I’d encourage you to keep in mind when searching for a new therapist is to not wait until you’re in the midst of a crisis to finally reach out to a new provider. If you can feel yourself starting to struggle with managing mental health then that may be the time to reach out. I say this because finding a provider is already time consuming and requires plenty of mental effort - so, having to do that on top of trying to keep yourself from drowning amidst a crisis is a lot.
Also, searching for a provider before a moment of crisis may give you the opportunity to screen a potential therapist more fully. When we’re in crisis we may book a session with the first therapist who becomes available. This could be okay for finding stability again but what if you don’t actually connect with this person? Or what if their office is in an inconvenient location or their fee isn’t sustainable for you to pay every week? For an ongoing therapeutic relationship these factors are important to think through earlier on in the process of finding a therapist.
I know it’s not always possible to predict a crisis - so this particular tip may not be relevant for everyone. However, I’m familiar, and maybe you are too, with the experience of telling yourself for months, “I should find a therapist - I should reach out to someone, I need support” only to find yourself procrastinating until a desperate moment. If we can act on that impulse more quickly we may help ourselves from ever reaching that moment of crisis in the first place.
Cost, Location & Availability
This may seem obvious but you can filter out many potential providers by knowing exactly what you’re able to pay per session. With that being said, it’s important to gauge your expectations when pursuing a therapist. The average cost per session for most therapists in the Denver/Boulder Metro area is going to be at least $100 if not closer to the $120-150 range. If your financial situation is restricting you to a smaller budget for sessions, I’d encourage you to consider the following:
Reach out to providers who offer sliding scale fees and be open about your financial restrictions from the start. There’s a really wonderful therapist directory through openpathcollective.org that shows therapists who have openings for low fee sessions between $30 and $70 per session.
Search for providers who take your insurance and make sure you know your co-pay obligations prior to beginning sessions.
Similar to session fee, consider what you’re able to realistically do in terms of location and availability. If you don’t have access to a reliable vehicle or public transportation, maybe consider if telehealth could be a good option for you. Or, maybe you live with roommates or your partner works from home and you’d rather meet in-person for therapy in order to maintain confidentiality. These are important things to consider as you begin your therapy search - especially because so many therapists are now offering a hybrid option.
Connection
We know that one of the factors that makes therapy the most effective it can be is the rapport between client and counselor. This is why that initial phone consultation and first few sessions are so important. In the consultation and initial few sessions you have the opportunity to get a gut feeling about your therapist, the same way we get a gut feeling with a new acquaintance. Anxiety with a new therapist is completely normal, but you should absolutely feel respected by your therapist and be able to find comfort and/or connection in their presence (even if you’re not completely comfortable with the therapeutic work itself). It can seem like a large undertaking, but having multiple phone consultations can really help you get a sense of who you are and aren’t connecting to and who stands out as a potential therapist.
Approach
Therapists work from many different approaches or “theoretical orientations,” such as psychodynamic, person centered, humanistic, adlerian, etc. There are many different approaches in order to fit many different therapists and the unique needs of our client’s. One way to familiarize yourself with these different approaches is to do your own independent research and see what you connect with most or what you’re most interested in. Another really wonderful way to build an understanding of what approach may appeal to you best is to ask a potential therapist during the initial consult to explain their approach. This can be extremely helpful because, as therapists, we all have our own unique style in the therapy process - so two therapists who practice humanistic therapy may not be exactly the same in how that’s carried out.
Finally, consider searching through the following websites for a potential provider:
Disclaimer: The information available on and through the blog on juniper-counseling.com is presented in summary form as a supplement to, and NOT a substitute for, the knowledge, skill, and judgment of qualified psychiatrists, psychologists, physicians and health care professionals. Should you have any physical/mental health or medical questions or concerns, please consult a physician, psychotherapist or other health care professional.