By the way...

Occasionally, people will ask me, “How do you find a good counselor? Is finding a good counselor like finding a good dentist or car mechanic?” In many ways, it is, but it’s also more. First, if you feel comfortable letting others know you are interested in seeing a counselor, ask your friends and relatives. Health care professionals may also have good referrals.

Once you have the names of several professionals, the next step is to consider some issues as you make your choice. For example:

• Where did the counselor train and what degrees or credentials does she/he have?
• Does it matter if the counselor is a man or a woman?
• How far are you willing to drive?
• Does the therapist/counselor take insurance?
• What are the fees? Does the counselor work on a sliding scale?
• What about hours? Is the counselor available on week-ends? Have evening hours?
• What about areas of expertise? Often, counselors will have areas of specialty – for example, some will work with couples only or specialize in trauma.

Be patient. The counselor you choose may meet all these standards, but in the end, it may boil down to just plain chemistry. Sometimes you hit it right off and other times it won’t feel right even after a few sessions. You have to trust in your instincts and go with that feeling. If you’ve been honest with yourself and given the counselor time to build rapport, but you’re still uncomfortable – move on. It may take meeting with two or three counselors before you find one that you trust. In the next “BTW,” I’ll describe what a typical session is like and how you can make it a successful one.

Let me know if I can help you reach your goals.

Monica