How do you pick a therapist?

[illusion88]

Some of you may remember this girl.

She is in counseling now, well her first session is this week. She has been assigned a councilor, but has been told that she can choose a different one if she wants. Furthermore, she can go to therapy if counseling doesn't work. So she asked me how one would pick a therapist or counselor and I came up at a loss of words.

Does anyone have any experience with this? Can you do a little phone interview? What sort of questions would you ask? Do you risk a visit without a call? Perhaps try to google the therapist to find any dirt on them? If you don't want to answer with a reply, could you PM me?

Any help would be great.

 

[chambersc]

i would assume they're all the same...look in the yellow pages and use a dart.

 

[whistleclient]

mostly you won't know until you've had one session with them. you have to see if you get along with them, feel comfortable.

 

[Miasma]

I don't know how it is in America, but over here in England my G.P. (standard family doctor) reffered me to a counsellor. I am not sure how he chose my counsellor, maybe it was based purely on availability, but the guy I got is great anyways.

I don't know how she'd go about choosing one. You can't really know how good a counsellor is, not until they start treating you. Just tell her to flip a coin.

 

[Mik3y]

I have a therapist and you really gotta get referrals to a good one. I've had many and it takes trial and error to finally find the right one, because its not easy just talking to a complete stranger about everything. They ask you really personal questions. One of my therapists even asked me if I wanted to have sex with my best chick friend and if I masturbate to her while thinking about her! I mean WTF!!! But ya, the best bet is to ask around.

 

[illusion88]

^_^