3 tips to consider if you want to start therapy but have no idea where to begin.
You feel it’s the right time to start therapy but you’ve found yourself thinking ‘where on earth do I begin?’
Finding a therapist and starting therapy can feel like quite an overwhelming process. You’ve made the courageous decision to reach out for help but have no idea where to begin.
Where does one even find a therapist anyway? And what does one look for in a therapist? Here are some tips you might like to consider to provide some clarity and help make starting therapy a smooth process.
Jot down your thoughts
We sometimes spend an awful lot of time thinking about our worries. Mulling over our emotions and experiences. Ruminating.
This is completely normal when we have a lot going on in life. However, these worries can snowball and holding everything in our mind may increase the anxiety, stress and overwhelm we may experience, leaving us with little room to breathe.
Writing down and capturing our thoughts serves two purposes: 1. It creates space and quietens our mind, allowing us to revisit these thoughts at a later date, and 2. It may provide some clarity and help identify what is important.
Before searching for a therapist, you might like to consider:
What are your primary concerns?
What would you like to address in therapy?
Do you have any goals?
What would you like life to look like after therapy?
Having a clear idea of the concerns you’d like to address in counselling can help inform the type of therapy you may like to access, and help find the therapist you’d feel comfortable working with.
2. Finding a therapist
Now you have a clear idea of what you’d like to address in therapy, you can begin your search to find a therapist.
You may find it helpful to google counselling directories or visit the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy’s therapist directory to search for a therapist.
Therapists come in all shapes and sizes, and have different areas of expertise, experience and training. While searching for a therapist, you might encounter lots of therapist speak and counselling terminology that may mean absolutely nothing to you, and that’s ok!
To help you choose a therapist, you might like to consider:
Are they a member of an accredited register? (eg. the BACP)
What training have they had?
What modalities do they work with?
Do they have an area of specialism? (eg. bereavement, anxiety, emotional eating)
Answering these questions can help provide some clarity on which therapist may be best suited to support your needs. However, sometimes we may have unanswered questions and would like to speak directly to the therapist to resolve these.
3. Discovery call
Now that you’ve found a counsellor you think you’d like to work with, you may like to book a discovery call to ask any questions and to confirm they are the right therapist for you.
Choosing a counsellor who feels like the right ‘fit’ is so important. I wholeheartedly believe that the relationship established with your counsellor is one of the most important factors that influences successful therapeutic outcomes.
Before booking your first session, you might like to consider:
Would you feel comfortable exploring your emotions and experiences with the therapist?
Does your therapist feel aligned with and ‘gets’ you?
Do you feel like the therapist could facilitate a helping relationship?
What’s the vibe? Does it feel right to you?
Before committing to starting therapy, take some time to reflect so you can make an informed decision. Once you’ve decided, book a session!
Congratulations!
You’ve now found a counsellor who feels like the right ‘fit’ and have booked your first session.
I wish you all the best with your counselling journey.
Warm regards, Ben
WELCOME, I’M GLAD YOU’RE HERE!I’m Ben, an integrative counsellor & nutritionist (food therapist)
I specialise in supporting people who emotionally eat to gain an understanding of their emotions, develop skills to dial down the food noise, and feel more comfortable and confident in their food choices.
I also offer short or long-term counselling to support you to deal with the challenges of life so you can get back to being you.
If you have any questions or would like to explore counselling, you’re more than welcome to book a free 20-minute discovery call below.