There are so many wonderful therapists out there, but sometimes it’s hard to know how to find one that’s right for you. The idea of choosing the wrong one can cause a lot of analysis paralysis.

Picking the right counselor is vital because more than half of what you get out of the therapeutic process has to do with the quality of the alliance you form with your counselor. It’s not the therapist’s theoretical orientation, their fabulous office, or fancy credentials. Research has shown that over 50% of how much you’ll get out of the process has to do with how connected you feel to your counselor. 

With that in mind, I’d encourage you to think about finding a counselor who works specifically with your concern or issue. It’s likely you can pinpoint what you’re struggling with and it may center around a theme, feeling, or life transition.

Also, when you find a therapist that specializes in what you’re experiencing and how you’d like to grow, it likely means that counselor has been very successful in working with those kinds of clients. What’s your challenge? How do you want to grow? Start with that and fill in the rest of the puzzle.

Ways to find your ideal counselor/therapist

Referrals. If you’re comfortable, ask your trusted friends who they recommend. Since they are your friends, it’s likely you have things in common. Do they see a counselor? If so, for what? What do they like about them? How does their counselor make them feel?

Online Directories. There are a ton of therapist directories and they allow you to search for counselors based on location, issue, and background. Therapy Den is a great directory to start with. Counselors can only practice in states where they’re licensed, so I recommend first filtering counselors based on the reason you’re coming into counseling, and then filtering by state if you’re open to online sessions.

Counselors. This may seem like an odd suggestion, but counselors can be a great referral source. Many of them own their own private practice, and since they’re only one person, they have a limit to how many people they can serve. This is why many of them network with their community in an attempt to find like-minded counselors so they can ensure people get the help they need, even if it’s not with them.

Is there a therapist’s website you really like? Does their content speak to you in ways that make you feel understood and hopeful? Reach out to them and if they don’t have availability, ask them for some referral sources they trust. Let them do some of the research for you.

Finding your ideal therapist is challenging, but once you find them, the effort will be well worth it. I wish you all the best on this journey!

Are you looking for a counselor? You can schedule a free 20-minute phone consultation with me by click the button below. I’m all about transparency and helping you figure out if I’m the right fit for you. If you don’t find a time that works for you, feel free to email me at hello@tamaraclarkson.com.