Skip to main content

Introduction: Finding a Good Therapist

Thought:

"Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.
A man finds joy in giving an apt reply--- and how good is a timely word!"

Proverbs 15: 22-23

Probably the most common question I'm asked is for a name of a good therapist. My friends and family figure I must have contacts since I work in the field of psychology. I consider this a very important question and am glad to give recommendations.

In the 1960 and 70's there was an explosion of new counseling models. Each specialty group thought it had found a better way to treat emotional problems. Was this assumption true? Whose treatment techniques were the most effective? Research studies began with the belief that one clinical model would rise to the top as the most effective treatment style. The results were surprising. No treatment modality was better than another. Instead, the studies found that the personality characteristics of therapists influenced treatment outcomes. Counselors who were genuine and transparent, empathetic, and valued their clients were more helpful.

Since the personal qualities of a clinician are essential to the development of a strong therapist-client relationship, it makes the request for a counselor's name very important. And considering the fact I am already working in the counseling field, it makes sense that I would have a decent knowledge of my local associates. Asking me for names of other therapists is a good idea. I can be a resource to those who live near me and know me, but what about those who don't know me or live in my community? How do those individuals find a good therapist?

I would like to spend several weeks exploring the ABC's of finding a good therapist and starting counseling. I plan to cover how to obtain recommendations for a counselor, what to ask during the initial contact (most likely a phone call) with potential therapists, and what to expect from the first appointment. I welcome any comments or questions you might have as we explore this area together.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Narcissism: Understanding the Effects of Narcissistic Parenting

Since Freud, researchers have studied various environmental effects on maturing personalities, and it has been well documented that parenting styles are profoundly involved in the shaping of children’s developing psyches. It is hard enough working with a narcissistic boss or living with a narcissistic spouse, but being raised by narcissistic parents has several serious emotional consequences. What are some of these effects? Dr. Paul Meier in his book, You Might Be a Narcissist If . . . How to Identify Narcissism in Ourselves and Others and what We Can Do About It , identifies four consequences of narcissistic parenting. They are: 1) the  development of a false self; 2) the desire to behave with perfectionism; 3) chronic habits of passivity; and 4) increased vulnerability to addictive behaviors. The Development of a False Self Since narcissistic parents unconsciously need others to help soothe their fragile sense of self, they naturally turn to any available relationships

Patsies, Pawns, Patrons, and Police: Understanding Sociopathic Relationship Roles

At least one time in our lives each of us will make the mistake of trusting someone who doesn’t deserve it.  Especially when we consider the statistics that one out of every twenty-five people in the world are individuals with APD (sociopaths). In the best-case scenario, this betrayal only inconvenienced us, but more often we will have been conned, cheated, or abused. How do we recognize and avoid relationships with sociopaths? To protect ourselves, it is important to understand sociopaths’ motivation for developing relationships. Their reasons are not the same as ours! Lacking a conscience, they are unable to form emotional attachments and are disinterested in developing a bond with others.  Instead, they are thrill seekers, and use relationships to achieve this goal. In pursuit of their next big emotional charge, sociopaths tend to cast others into three main roles: “pawns, patrons, or police.” “Pawns” are individuals with little or no social or political power who

Antisocial Personality Disorder Resource List

This is the final article in the series looking at Antisocial Personality Disorder. I plan to start a new series discussing various aspects of Depression in January 2013. Hope everyone has a wonderful, happy holiday season! Resource List Snakes in Suits: When Psychopaths go to Work by Paul Babiak, PhD & Robert D. Hare, PhD (2006) HarperCollins Publishers Not all individuals with Antisocial Personality Disorder (APD) are in prison, many are among us. They work and play alongside us. Babiak and Hare reveal the common ploys of psychopaths, especially in the corporate world. The authors provide detailed suggestions about how to screen for psychopaths in the interview process as well as how to protect the work environment from those whose main goals are to manipulate and exploit the workplace. This is an outstanding book for those in the business world who would like to become more aware of the subtle warning signs of psychopaths.   The Sociopath Next D