Interested in finding a good therapist, but unsure of where to start? Here at Biltmore Psychology and Counseling we believe in the right fit. We do our best to place potential clients in a great match with one of our therapists. And if they don’t believe it’s a good match, we will give them as many referrals and resources as possible in order to find their right fit. Here are a few tips before you start calling around to various therapy offices in your area.

1. Ask around in your network:

Even though you might be nervous to reveal to your friends and family that you are looking for a therapist, you’d be surprised about how many people already have a therapist they see regularly. Your friends might know of someone they would recommend, or have seen someone in the past who really helped them. Whatever the circumstance, it’s a good way to open the dialogue between your friends a family about therapy and ways to help each other out.

2. Use online resources like Psychology Today:

We tell our clients about Psychology Today a lot. It’s a really great resource where you can filter your results to specifically what you’re looking for. You can click on days/times that work for you, put in your zip code, and even your insurance and it will pull up providers in your area. Other recommended resources are Google and Yelp. You can get a sense for the therapist/office by reading other reviews.

3. Look at their photos

Unfortunately we live in a society where first impressions and what we see at first, largely shapes how we think about an individual. Take a look at the pictures of the therapist on their website or their Psychology Today profiles. Is there a particular picture that stands out to you? Obviously you can’t tell the whole picture about a person just from their photo, but it’s a good way to put your instincts and gut reactions into play.

4. Is gender important to you?

Do you have a preference between a male or a female therapist? Most of the clients that call in to Biltmore Psychology and Counseling have an idea of what type of therapist they want. But we do encourage you to put gender aside because a great therapist will be a great therapist regardless of their gender.

5. Theoretical Orientation

Are you looking for a specific type of therapy? Do you have trauma in your past and are interested in EMDR (a type of therapy regularly used in therapy focused on past traumas). Are you looking to change your thoughts and focus on why you have the pattern of thoughts you have? You might consider someone who does CBT or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Generally good therapists are willing to speak to you for a short 5-10 minute call before you come in for your first appointment to explain their process and approach.

6. Do your research

Once you find your potential therapist, spend some time looking some things up on the internet. Look up their license, where they went to school, reviews they might have. You might consider talking to the therapist themselves, or calling their office and speaking to the front person.