Therapist

[paigexnicole_]

How did you choose your therapist? I'm having issues picking one and it's giving me loads of anxiety 😣

[mvillarreal]

To be honest, I've kinda been to hell and back with that one. Sometimes, it's a matter of luck. I've had four therapists. One I didn't feel safe revealing everything to, so I don't really know what her true colors were. Two I found a little condescending, but I've finally found one who I can relate to and feel comfortable talking to and who can try to help me cope with my difficulties without needing to "fix" me. I guess that's what you should look out for. If they think you need to be "fixed" or that every little thing is a "cognitive distortion," rather than valid ways of feeling that can actually be good so long as they don't drive you to feeling suicidal or desperate and are coped with. That's the key to look out for. Not everything is a broken piece that needs to be fixed. If that's an absent attitude, you've probably got a good bet; if it's a prevalent attitude, toss the therapist out the window. That's my perspective anyway, but I understand that my experiences shouldn't be universalized either.

[paigexnicole_ in reply to mvillarreal]

Thank you for your advice! That helps 😊

[NWGal]

I didn't really choose one - there's only one clinic within driving distance of my house and they accepted my insurance. I was pretty much assigned one but could change to someone else if I wanted to. It actually worked out well. Maybe others are fortunate to have their pick of therapists. When I lived other places I went to the first appointment and decided whether I got a good "vibe" from them based on whether they had genuine concern for my welfare and also had a good sense of humor. It worked for me.

[paigexnicole_ in reply to NWGal]

Thank you for your input 😊