As more and more people have mental illness, the search for the right type of therapist has become extremely prevalent. Some patients find that their treatment isn’t complete without a therapist who truly understands them and caters to their needs.
This is understandable since counseling requires a form of connection between patient and doctor. A certain level of trust is necessary for patients to begin opening up, and for healing to occur. This can only be done if they’ve deemed their counselors trustworthy people whom they can share their most intimate thoughts with.
If you’re one such patient looking for a good counselor that will match your personality, here are a few tips to consider:
- Don’t Base it On Your Mood
Some patients tend to base their needs off their mood, which can be counterproductive if you’re looking for a long-term counselor who will understand your innermost thoughts. Usually, going with ‘gut-feel’ or moods will lead to rocky relationships, which may end up with you jumping from one therapist to another in the search for someone to connect with.
- Go for Someone Who Communicates
Communication is a two-way street. If you’re not the type who likes being told what to do, then don’t go for a counselor who is highly prescriptive. Counseling is actually about therapists listening to their patients, and not the other way around. Go for someone who communicates with you in the sense that your specific needs are met and not drowned out by too many inflexible prescriptions.
- Understand Your Own Needs
The first step to figuring out how you want to be understood is first looking deep within yourself and following your own needs. Determining your limitations, your shortcomings, and your desires will help you figure out how you want to be handled during a session. This will be helpful later on in discerning which therapist communicates best with you.
