Choosing a Counselor
The last couple of posts have talked through counseling lingo, different types of therapists, and different types of licensures in Wisconsin. There are so many factors to counseling and finding the right career or therapist. This post will focus on 4 important factors to consider when choosing a therapist.
Budget: Counseling can be expensive. While counseling is a worthy investment in both time and money, financial factors are real when finding the right counselor for you. This is a great topic to bring up in a consultation call when shopping around for a new counselor. You can ask if they take insurance, offer sliding-scale payments, or charge HSA cards. There are options for your specific financial needs!
Location: Most clients are wanting in person services nowadays. While I do offer in person and virtual services, majority of my sessions happen in person. Personally, I have felt this shift coming after lockdown. People are desiring in person connections! So many of our relationships are digital and connecting with new people out in the world happens less frequently. Determining your preference for in-person counseling services or virtual, may help you determine the best fit for you. It is also key to find a therapist licensed in your state. Counselors are not able to work with clients that are out of the state they are licensed in (for now, we are waiting for you counseling compact!).
Counselor Expertise: We all have different needs. Knowing what your focus is and what educational and training background you want your counselor to have can be important. For example, if you have autism or OCD, it may be beneficial to find a counselor that has training to work with clients that have those diagnoses. The counselor’s theory of practice can also be beneficial. While theory equates to some of the success in client outcomes, you may find yourself connecting with one way of counseling over another. For example, if you prefer to complete worksheets and have a more structured approach to counseling, a CBT or DBT training therapist would be a great fit for you! If you are desiring to unpack trauma history and relational concerns, psychodynamic or attachment theory would be the most helpful. Most clinicians pull from a multitude of theories. This usually will come up in your consultation call, a therapist’s website or bio, or in your intake session. You may also want to consider your counselor’s education and longevity in the field.
Connection: By far the most important factor when choosing your counselor is how you connect. The counseling relationship holds the most impact to a client’s growth in counseling. If you do not feel connected to your counselor or do not feel safe, it is not the right fit. That is totally okay! We all connect differently with different people. Shopping around and finding someone that you feel safe with is imperative to counseling being effective.
As always, feel free to reach out if you have any question, if you would like to explore working together, or would like referrals. Finding the right counselor can be stressful although it doesn’t have to be.
Have a great weekend!