Or how do I know if my Counselor is a good fit for me?
Those are excellent questions.
The biggest indicator of change and success in therapy is based on the relationship with your Counselor. This means--regardless of what intervention, skill or tool the Counselor may use, what is most important is how you feel when you are working with your Counselor.
This is different from how you feel when talking about the thing bothering you. I'm talking about how you feel towards your Counselor and how you feel in response to the way they interact with you.
Things to keep in mind:
Safety is essential in the therapeutic relationship.
So is trust.
You have to believe that the person you are working with has the best intentions for you and cares about what you are experiencing.
This doesn't mean therapy is easy. On the contrary, some of it can be hard-facing difficult situations is never easy, but with the right Counselor the two of you can work towards dealing with and healing the things that brought you to therapy.
So, a good rule of thumb is to try meeting with a few therapists before you settle on the one you want to work with long term.
Pay attention to your intuition. Not all Counselors are a good fit for all clients and vice versa, if it doesn't feel safe and helpful in the first 1-3 sessions, move on.
We hope that helps you when you're thinking about how to pick a therapist, Counselor or someone to work with. Only you know what will work for you. If you're looking for a therapist-we are offering Telehealth in Arizona, one of our providers might be a good fit for you.