It is normal to feel nervous before you begin therapy. If you are nervous, you can work through those feelings with your therapist. If you are comfortable with your clinician or therapist, then it is easy to develop a therapeutic relationship with them. Therefore, make sure you are comfortable with the clinician or therapist. Your therapy works better if you are completely honest.
If you have never gone for therapy before, you may find it difficult to know where to begin. We wrote this article to help you understand how therapy sessions work. Read on to learn how to select the right therapist, understand how your first may look like, and what you can expect from your therapy sessions.
How to Select The Right Therapist
1. Why Do You Want to Go to Therapy?
According to this site, the first thing the therapist will ask you is why are you going to therapy. You may want to work on your relationship issues. You may have some concerns with one of your family members. You want to stop feeling anxious. Or you may suffer from panic attacks, so you want to learn how to cope.
It is much better to narrow down your goal. If you know why you want to go to therapy, then your therapist can help you better. However, your reasons can change over time, so it is better to start somewhere.
2. Visit Multiple Therapists
There are several therapists and various types of therapy. To know the various types of therapy, check out the website of the practitioner. Once you know the types of therapy you want, you can now look for the right therapist.
We will help you choose a good therapist, especially if you have not chosen one yet. It is better to do some research on the types of psychotherapists. Some clinical psychologists have PhDs. However, they are not much better than other types of therapists, such as a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW).
You can choose a therapist, depending on the expertise you are searching for. In addition, choose a therapist you can comfortably talk to. Therefore, schedule consultations with multiple therapists to help you choose a therapist you can comfortably talk to.
3. Schedule Consultations
Almost all therapists expect potential patients to schedule consultations before choosing them. Do not let the therapist pressure you to pay their consultation fees.
The purpose of the consultation is to help you know if you are comfortable with the therapist. Use these consultations to find out if the therapist understands your issues. Make sure you are comfortable speaking to the therapist. Make sure the therapist listens to you without interrupting.
If you are uncomfortable with the therapist, you can schedule an appointment with another therapist. Select the right therapist is essential for your healing.
4. Got to Your First Session with an Open Mind
It is not easy to select the right therapist. In fact, you are more likely to feel uneasy in your first session. If you have never gone to therapy, you can feel overwhelmed. However, you must go to therapy with an open mind. Use your first appointment to get the know the therapist. In fact, you can make your plan with your therapist in the first session.
In addition, you may experience unexpected raw emotions. If you have never talked to someone before, you might cry in your first session. Do not feel ashamed.
5. Plan Your Next Session
It is essential to plan your next session, even if you are not planning to go to several therapy sessions. Planning your next sessions can help you know what to expect in your next session. If your therapists need you to do some exercises or report on some areas, they can tell you in your first session.
You can even use this opportunity to share some treatment methods with your therapist. For example, if you know the importance of cognitive-behavioral therapy and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), you can share them with your therapist.
You can reflect on your current session before you book your next session. It is safe to go to therapy. If you do not feel safe, you do not have to see the same therapist. Once you pay the therapist for their services, you can look for another therapist.
6. Prepare for Your Next Therapy Session
Do not just think of what will happen during your therapy session. It is much better to prepare for your therapy sessions. Preparing for your next therapy sessions can ensure the therapy works for you.
7. Be Open to Go to More Therapy Sessions
Once you find the right therapist, you can decide with the therapist when your therapy sessions will end. However, you have to be ready to go to more therapy sessions than you had planned. The therapist is there to help you. If you feel you are not ready to end the therapy, you can talk to your therapist.
