Written By Redbird Therapy
Getting started with psychotherapy is a vulnerable process for many. While the decision to seek support can often feel daunting, the next step of finding a therapist that ‘feels right’ can bring up feelings of overwhelm or confusion for many. Be kind to yourself on this journey of finding “the right fit”. We, at Redbird Therapy Centre, firmly believe that finding this fit with a therapist is an essential part of the success of your therapy process.
Why Is Finding The Right Fit Important In Therapy?
Psychotherapy isn’t a one-size-fits-all process. It is a relationship between you and the therapist. Research has shown that the therapy relationship is one of the strongest indicators of positive therapeutic outcomes, more important that the specific therapeutic approach, skills, or tools utilised by a therapist.
Given that therapy is a relational process, building a trusting relationship with your therapist – just like any other relationship – is very important.
While your therapist will not be perfect, or agree with you all the time, they need to support you in feeling seen, heard, respected, and understood.
What Do I Pay Attention To?
It’s helpful to recognise that every therapist has their own areas of practice. This is shaped by the type of training they received, the therapeutic approaches they use, their individual personalities, and a number of other factors. Sometimes it’s just the “Q factor” in deciding who’s right for you.
And sometimes, it’s practical considerations. Structural factors like the therapist’s fees, whether they provide services in-person or virtually, or types of insurance they accept can also make or break whether a therapeutic relationship moves forward or not.
It can be helpful to think about what factors are important for you as the person entering therapy.
Do you enjoy structure, or prefer a more open-ended and depth oriented process? Are there “make or break” factors like a shared racial, cultural, identity, or social background, language preferences or communication styles that will impact how connected you feel to your therapist?
What Questions Can I Ask My Therapist?
At Redbird, we offer all clients a free 15-minute initial consultation prior to beginning therapy. This conversation is a space for clients and therapists to get to know each other better and explore “the fit” with the needs you’re bringing in, the preferences you have, and the therapist’s scope of practice.
This consultation is a wonderful opportunity for you to ask questions – whether that’s about the therapist’s approach, years of experience, areas of focus, practical matters, or their views about factors like race, culture, and other social identities that relate to you. Pay attention to what shows up for you in relation to their responses. This is a great clue to know who’s right for you!
Lastly, we also recognise that finding the right fit in therapy can take some time. This is a reminder that it is both acceptable and recommended to meet with more than one therapist to support your decision making process.
To listen to our clinicians talk a bit more about this topic, check out our educational video below.
