3 Great Tips to Help You Find a Therapist

Seeking therapy is a great, and often frightening, step to take. Once you have made the brave decision that you need to help to address certain issues, however, you will need to find a good counselor. By searching for an Orange County counselor, you will notice that there are literally hundreds for you to choose from. This can be overwhelming and the last thing you want when you’re in need of counseling is to feel overwhelmed. Hopefully, however, the following three tips will enable you to quickly sift through your options and find the best counselor for your needs.

3 Great Tips to Help You Find a Therapist
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1. What Credentials Do They Have?

First of all, you have to make sure your counselor is properly trained and qualified. They will usually have a bachelor’s degree as a minimum, although a master’s is more common. Their degree will generally be in counseling psychology. If they are actual psychologists rather than therapists, they will hold a doctoral degree. Besides their formal education, they should also regularly take part in other training courses, which shows their dedication to continuing to be relevant and qualified.

Do also check whether the therapist is a member of any professional organizations, such as the American Counseling Association.

2. How Much Experience Do They Have?

Next, you need to look into the amount of experience the counselor has. This is particularly important if you are looking for a specialized counselor, such as one that deals with phobias, families, careers or drugs. You should also make sure they have experience in working with your particular demographic, particularly if you belong to a minority group or you have a lifestyle that is not conventional. If you are gay, for instance, or if you are highly religious, you will need to find a therapist who is aware of and sensitive to, that lifestyles.

3. How Do They Work?

There are endless ways to offer counseling. Each counselor will have their own preferred method, and you need to check what that is before you sign up. The recommended method of offering counseling today is with client centeredness, which means that whatever solution is offered to you should be one that is based on your personal needs as well. In this approach, the counselor is effectively your guide and confident.

Patient centeredness is a general approach and one that most therapists follow. However, the exact techniques and methods that are used will vary, You could find therapists who offer transactional analysis, hypnosis or NLP, for instance. Spend some time in trying to find out what these methods are and whether you feel they could be suitable to you.

Most of us hope to go through life without having to see a counselor. However, if something does disrupt your mental well-being, there is no shame in going to see one. After all, that is their job and what they are there for. Remember that you are trying to fix your life, which means that only the best will do.

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