Taking the First Step Towards Psychotherapy and Personal Counselling!
Have you have decided to take the first step towards psychotherapy and/or personal counselling? It might make you anxious just thinking about it. Do you feel unsure about how to find the right personal counsellor who can help you, or what qualities are important? You may actually be wavering about whether you should even go to therapy. You have however read the first four sentences of this blog, so read on and let Annette Poechman help you take the first step in a journey that can change your life.
What to consider when looking for a Psychotherapist or Personal Counsellor
- Referrals from family, friends and other professionals in your life (i.e. family doctor, minister, naturopath etc.). You may not feel comfortable asking someone you know, but most people have at least one person that they trust enough to ask for help.
- Internet searches for a therapist are fine, but pay attention to the details on their website. Do you like what you are reading? Could you see yourself talking to this person? Does the language/content connect with you or repel you?
- Consider the qualifications of the person. What is their training? Are they registered with a regulatory college? For example the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario or the Ontario College of Social Workers.
- Do they have expertise with your issue. This might be challenging because sometimes issues are not easily identifiable for the person seeking counselling. In that case, a Counsellor with experience with a wide range of issues would be a good choice.
- Connect with the therapist via phone or email. Ask some questions. See how it feels. Most therapists welcome a chance to speak directly with you.
- Remember that you are not making a long term commitment to this person. Make one appointment. Afterwards you can make a decision as to whether you want to continue. Be aware that talking to a complete stranger is going to feel uncomfortable at first, so more than one appointment may be necessary to develop a good rapport.
- If at first you don’t succeed – try again. Your mental health is important. Not every therapist is a good fit for every person. Therapists are all different and work in different ways, using different methods of therapy, including mindfulness-based, cognitive behavioural (CBT), solution focused, and EMDR.
If you have more questions about how to find the right therapist Annette invites you to contact her! Annette is conveniently located in Hamilton, Ontario and for your convenience, counselling/therapy appointments can be booked online! How’s that for helpful!
Listening. Guiding. Caring.
