Back to Dr. Fishbein's home page

How to Select a Therapist

If you were going to hire a tutor--or any employee--you would would naturally tend to interview a variety of possible candidates, questioning each thoroughly in order to find the right person. You would want to find out as much about the individual's technical skills as you would about their character. You would also want someone with whom you feel comfortable. Often, however, people spend little if any time shopping around for a qualified therapist. They mistakenly assume if one has an advanced degree and a license, he or she is qualified.

 

When you are in the market to hire a therapist, it is highly important to find someone who meets your specific personal requirements for the job. Whereas most people know what they want in a tutor, the qualities comprising an effective therapist may not be as clear. Some of the characteristics I would look for in a therapist are suggested below:

 

CHARACTERISTICS OF AN EFFECTIVE THERAPIS 

  1. Willingly and competently answers any of your questions, especially relative to his or her objectives and method of treatment.
  2. Answers your questions in a simple and practical manner.
  3. Speaks to you as an equal in a down-to-earth, easy to understand manner.
  4. Focuses on goals and results rather than theories of how or why the problems bega
  5. Focuses on the present, as opposed to the past.
  6. Teaches you how to change habits of thinking and behavior rather than just analyzing how or why they came about.
  7. Often provides you with assignments or exercises to work on between visits.
  8. Is moderate and reasonable in speech and appearance.
  9. Understands and respects your moral and religious values.
  10. Displays confidence in your ability to learn how to solve your problems and in his or her ability to teach you.
  11. Has experience in successfully dealing with your specific type of problem.
  12. Generally expects counseling to be successfully completed in a few weeks or months, not years.

FINDING AN EFFECTIVE THERAPIST

In order to find a therapist qualified to assist you, I would encourage you to interview at least three therapists before you select one--unless you already know one who meets your needs. With each interview you do, you will gain more knowledge about the variety of therapists and therapies available; you will then become a better informed and wiser consumer. A brief telephone interview is generally sufficient. If a therapist will not take five to ten minutes on the phone to answer your questions, you can probably rule him or her out right away. Once you select a therapist, your first visit will provide you with additional opportunities to ask questions and to assess his or her qualifications. If you are not satisfied with the therapist you selected, find another one.

 

POSSIBLE QUESTIONS TO ASK 

  1. What is your approach to therapy?
  2. After providing the therapist with a brief statement about your problem, ask, "How would you go about helping me solve it?"
  3. How much experience and success have you had in treating my type of problem?
  4. How long is it apt to take to solve my problem? (Of course, an exact answer is not possible, but a reasonable estimate can be expected.)
  5. What are your goals when you provide therapy?
  6. How much emphasis do you place on the past versus the present?
  7. What kind of things would you expect me to be doing between our appointments?
  8. Would you be supportive of me in my religious beliefs?
  9. Last of all, ask for his or her opinion about any issue that are important to you that could be controversial. For example: whether or not it is worth trying to save a dying marriage; whether or not divorce is a viable option; whether or not extramarital affairs, abortion, homosexuality are acceptable, etc.

    Remember: When you hire a therapist, he or she is your employee--you are the boss.

Dr. Fishbein's Home Page