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How to Choose a Therapist
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A good match between a client and a therapist is required for successful therapy. The following guidelines are designed to help you find a therapist with whom you will have a positive experience and achieve the results you are seeking. How Do I Start? Begin by getting the names of at least three therapists. Start with people you know who have either been in therapy or might work with or know a therapist. You could also start by calling a therapist who has presented a class or lecture that you enjoyed. Begin by getting the names of at least three therapists. Start with people you know who have either been in therapy or might work with or know a therapist. You could also start by calling a therapist who has presented a class or lecture that you enjoyed. If you suffer from anxiety-related problems and have no personal contact with a therapist or someone who is familiar with therapists in your area, contact the Anxiety Disorders Association of America at ADAA.org. Ask for a listing of anxiety specialists in your area. Other possible sources of referrals include a family physician, a health insurance company, and medical schools, universities, or other major research and clinical centers. You could also look in the yellow pages of your local telephone directory under each of the following headings:
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What Should I Ask? After getting the names of at least three possible therapists, you need to interview each one to see if this is someone who specializes in working with your particular problem. Just as medical doctors specialize, therapists also have areas of specialty. Consider for a moment whom you would choose if you needed a specific type of surgery. You would get the best results from a surgeon who has performed the procedure hundreds of times. In a similar manner, you want to make sure you seek help from someone who has worked with many people with your problem. When interviewing a prospective therapist, the first step is to give them a short summary of your problem, describing your primary symptoms, how long you’ve had the symptoms, and the severity of them. Here is an example of what Mary might have said to a prospective therapist:
After you’ve given the prospective therapist a short summary of your condition, ask the following questions:
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Which Approach Is Best? There are many different therapeutic approaches, each with its own set of terms. With anxiety-related problems, it is best to find someone familiar both with cognitive therapy and a form of behavioral treatment known as in vivo exposure (also called contextual therapy, travel therapy, or exposure therapy). Cognitive therapy involves the learning of specific techniques for changing the way you think. Much of the material in on at this site and in Mr. Peurifoy’s books is based on a cognitive approach, especially the discussion of distorted thinking in chapter 7 and the rational challenges in the later chapters. In vivo exposure uses as its primary tool, progressive desensitization. This approach concentrates on going into difficult situations and using specific behavioral and cognitive techniques to cope with the frightening feelings and thoughts as they occur. The “Situations Where this Creates a Problems” and “Things I Can Do” sections of the summary sheets described in this book illustrate more sophisticated behavioral approaches. Cognitive and behavioral approaches are often combined with other forms of treatment such as psychopharmacological treatment (the use of medications), and psychodynamic therapy. The identification of core beliefs and associations that caused the development of symptoms is an example of a psychodynamic approach. Therapists who use a combination of these approaches usually tailor them to the needs of individual clients. An exciting new approach I have found useful when combined with a cognitive-behavioral-psychodynamic approach is called eye movement desensitization and reprocessing or EMDR. Unfortunately, it may be difficult to find someone who has adequate training in this method. Although EMDR seems deceptively simple, it actually requires a high degree of skill to use effectively. If you’re interested in finding a therapist trained in this approach contact the EMDR Institute, Inc. Since therapists often use the same terms in different ways be sure to ask the therapist to explain what he or she means when a term you do not understand is used.
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How Do I Evaluate the Therapist Once I Start? After two or three sessions, you need to decide if the therapist you’ve chosen has the knowledge, approach, personality, and style that seems right for you. Ask yourself the following questions:
It often takes many months or years to achieve long-term recovery from a problem that has plagued you for years. This does not mean you spend all of this time going to weekly therapy sessions. Many people take periodic breaks from formal therapy to practice and master the skills they’ve learned. They then return when difficulties arise that they cannot resolve on their own. Others work weekly for an extended period of time. Though therapy often does take time, you should be able to see clear progress. Do not allow your therapy to continue for months or years with no progress. If you feel that you have made no progress and there is no clear direction to your therapy after six sessions, you probably need to try someone else. Before you switch to a new therapist, tell your current therapist you are considering going to someone new because you feel your therapy is not going anywhere. It may be that you are simply not seeing the progress you are making. If you have tried several different therapists with little progress, you may need to reevaluate your efforts. Have you made a real commitment to the therapeutic process and done the work that you were asked to do? If not, return to the therapist who seemed most effective.
(The above was excerpted from Overcoming Anxiety by Reneau Peurifoy) |
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E-mail comments to: lrsc@rpeurifoy.com Disclaimer: This site contains general reference information and is not intended as a substitute for consulting with a physician or a psychotherapist. Copyright © 1999 by Reneau Peurifoy, MA — All Rights Reserved |