How to Choose a Therapist

WE all know psychotherapy and counselling can help us with all sorts of problems - but how do you choose the right one for you? Alison Tilley answers some of the most frequently asked questions

Why see a psychotherapist or counsellor?
Working with a psychotherapist or counsellor can be helpful and rewarding. People choose to see a therapist for many different reasons and may see them either for a few sessions or over a longer period.

Psychotherapy and counselling can help you deal with current problems such as bereavement, redundancy, relationship breakdown, illness and other life changes. They can help resolve emotional difficulties, such as depression, anxiety and unhappiness, eating problems and alcohol and drug abuse. And therapists can work with you to resolve childhood issues, such as sexual, physical and emotional abuse.

Seeing a therapist does not mean you have something wrong with you or are mentally ill. Many people see a therapist because they feel they have lost direction in their lives, are stuck in an unhappy situation or have difficulty making and maintaining relationships.

However, there is an array of psychotherapists and counsellors who work to different styles and it can sometimes be difficult to know who is the right therapist for you and where to start.

Psychotherapy or counselling?
Psychotherapy and counselling are similar in many ways and one way to approach this is to choose a therapist who suits you rather than decide first whether you need psychotherapy or counselling.

At the first session you can discuss with the therapist whether they feel able to help you with the problems you have brought.

As a rule of thumb, psychotherapy training tends to be longer than counselling training and is usually a postgraduate training .

How do I find a therapist?
You could start by talking to your GP. S/he may be able to arrange therapy for you, but this is likely to be for a limited time and you will have no choice about who you see. However s/he may be able to recommend someone to you.

It is helpful to have a recommendation. However, therapy is a very personal thing and a therapist someone else found helpful may not suit you. You can get the names of therapists working in your area by contacting one of the professional bodies listed below. Many therapists advertise or place leaflets in alternative magazines, health food shops, cafe, arts centres or other places with public notice boards.

Currently, anyone can call themselves a psychotherapist or counsellor, although this will soon be changed by law. As a protection, look for a therapist who is registered with, or training with, a recognised professional body. The UKCP (United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy) and the BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy) are the main bodies regulating psychotherapy and counselling, although there are others. Membership of such a body ensures therapists are trained to a certain standard and work to a code of ethics. There is a complaints procedure and therapists can be deregistered for unethical practice.

When you contact a therapist, ask questions. You wouldn't dream of buying a car without asking questions and your mental health is much more important. You can ask them these things when you first contact them over the phone or in the initial session.

Helpful questions

What do their qualifications mean?
How long was their training and at what level? Qualified therapists should have their certificates displayed or available for you to see.

How many hours have they trained?
UKCP registered psychotherapists need to have completed at least four years postgraduate training, typical training hours are 600. BACP registered counsellors need at least 450 hours training.

How long have they been working as a therapist?
And if they are still training how many hoursâ experience do they have? Trainee psychotherapists and counsellors tend to charge less than qualified therapists.

Do they have other relevant experience?
Many therapists are recently trained or qualified, but may have worked in related professions that make them very experienced.

Do they have experience of working with the issues you will be bringing?
Have they had personal psychotherapy or counselling themselves and how much? Both the UKCP and BACP require personal therapy. Therapists should have been in therapy throughout their training.

Do they have a supervisor?
UKCP and BACP require all therapy work to be supervised. This is a protection for you because it aims to ensure the therapist is practising competently and ethically.

How would they work with you?
If you don't understand anything they are saying, ask more questions. A therapist should be able to explain their work to you in a way that you understand.

What will the therapist ask me?
The therapist is likely to ask you what kind of issues you want to talk about. This is to help them decide whether the therapy they offer is appropriate to you at this time.

In the initial session, the therapist should make it clear to you how much they charge, how long sessions last, how often they are, whether there are any cancellation fees, and discuss confidentiality with you.

How do I decide?
When you meet the therapist, pay attention to how you feel about them. The most important thing is for you to find a therapist you feel you can trust. If you feel uncomfortable with the therapist, you don't have to see them again. Remember though, that it can sometimes feel very difficult to talk about yourself to someone you have only just met.

You do not have to decide straight away whether to see the therapist again. You can go away and think about it. You can see more than one therapist for an initial session and then decide which one you would like to see again. Therapists are used to this and will not be offended. Many therapists will agree to meet you without charge so that you can do this.

And finally...
Remember that the most important person involved in choosing a therapist is you. Take some time about it and trust your own feelings.

Alison Tilley is a UKCP registered Gestalt Psychotherapist practising in central Exeter. She has run a private psychotherapy practice for ten years and also works in the NHS attached to GP surgeries.


Useful addresses:
United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy,
167-169 Great Portland Street, London W1N 5FB Tel: 020 7436 3002.
www.psychotherapy.org.uk

British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy,
Regent Place, Rugby CV21 2PJ. Tel: 01788 550899.
Website: www.bac.co.uk