Note: The article was created in collaboration with Dr. Jaclyn, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with a Ph.D. in Counseling Studies and over ten years of experience working with a diverse clientele.
Congratulations! Starting therapy is a huge step in improving your mental health. Finding a therapist – well, that can be pretty challenging. People go to therapy for different reasons, so it's important to think about what you want out of therapy when you choose your therapist. One of our providers, Dr. Jaclyn, put together this guide to help you find the right therapist for you.
What are your therapy goals?
The best question you can ask yourself is, "What do I want out of therapy?" To break that down, here are some good things to think through:
What are you going to counseling for?
Do you care about the gender, identity, religion, or ethnicity of your therapist?
Do you want in-person or telehealth sessions, or a mix of both?
Do you want to reach a resolution quickly or spend a lot of time unpacking things like childhood, past experiences, and family background?
After you've answered these questions, you're ready to look for a therapist!
What makes a good match?
Many factors make up a good provider <> client match. You can typically tell a little about a provider's personality and modality in their bio, but often, an intake appointment is necessary for determining the true match.
Personality
Dr. Jaclyn gives her advice for finding a good personality match.
"A therapist should provide a warm and open-minded environment that is non-judgmental. If your therapist listens to your concerns and prioritizes your therapeutic needs, then they may be the right fit.
Take control of your decision by doing your research. Google your therapist and their background to help you decide if they align with your therapeutic needs. Remember to be open-minded and ask for clarification. If something you read concerns you, make sure you ask for more insight as you may pass up the chance to meet an awesome therapist due to prejudging."
At Grow Therapy, you'll often see descriptive words on the provider bio that tell you what the therapist is like. This could include warm, solution-focused, empathetic, or a number of other words. Pay attention to which personality types you're drawn to.
Modality
A modality is the framework or theory of therapy a provider usually uses in their practice. Many therapists tailor their approach based on the client and their needs. Your therapist should be able to guide you through the right modality and will likely use a mix.
Occasionally, some therapists try to find clients who want to engage in specific modalities like EMDR, CBT, or DBT. This is great if you know a specific style you prefer. Check out the cheat sheet below for specifics. Don't worry — your therapist won't expect you to know exactly what type of therapy you're looking for. They're there to guide you!
Dr. Jaclyn's modality cheat sheet
Acronym | Modality Name | What to expect | Who may be good fit |
CBT | Cognitive Behavioral Therapy | Your therapist will focus on identifying your triggers and automatic reactions. You may be assigned homework week to week. Sessions typically last 3-6 months. | If you want to change problematic behaviors or unhelpful patterns of thinking. Many CBT therapists specialize in anxiety and depression. |
ACT | Acceptance and Commitment Therapy | Your therapist will focus on identifying your values and understanding what matters to you. Sessions depend on clients' needs but could last 8-15 weeks. | If you want to become more mindful of your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors or are struggling with difficult life situations, this may be a good fit. |
Person-centered | Person-centered | Your therapist will focus on you as a person and emphasize the therapeutic relationship. Depending on the client's needs, this can be short—or long-term. | If you want to become more self-aware and gain personal growth, this could be for you. This is also good if you struggle to express your feelings and opinions or lack trust in yourself. |
IFS | Internal Family Systems | Your therapist will focus on exploring and identifying your sub-personalities and different thoughts and behaviors that may affect each other. Often, the internal self is assessed within the client's systems or family. This could be short—or long-term, depending on the client's needs. | If you want to understand aspects of your identity or are struggling within certain relationships, this may help. |
DBT | Dialectical Behavioral Therapy | Your therapist will help you learn skills to regulate overwhelming emotions or impulsive behaviors. Depending on the client's need, this will last around 6 months on average. | If you want to understand, change, and accept painful emotions and learn coping skills to manage strong emotions and impulsive behaviors, this could be a good fit. |
Psychodynamic | Psychodynamic | Your therapist will focus on the root of the issues associated with repressed emotions, thoughts, and experiences. This typically lasts about six months but depends on the client. | If you have experienced trauma and want to uncover the roots of prevalent thoughts and behaviors and become more self-reflective, psychodynamic therapy could be beneficial.
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EMDR | Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing | Once your EMDR-trained therapist believes you are ready, they will use various techniques to help you work through trauma. You will use external stimuli, like eye movement, while recalling traumatic experiences in these sessions. Sessions typically last 60-90 minutes and take three to 12 sessions on average. | EMDR has been effective for clients working through traumatic experiences. If you feel blocked by an experience and want to heal, it might be worth talking with an EMDR therapist. |