Is it okay to “shop” for a therapist?

Absolutely. In fact, we recommend it.

The therapist’s personality and approach need to be the right match for you.

Therapists come in all colors, ages, approaches, and education levels. Your licensed professional counselor, social worker, psychologist, or psychiatrist may have an impressive string of letters after their name. But “more” is not necessarily better. Sometimes, it’s just more expensive.

Tell the potential therapist that you’re checking around. It should be possible to ask a few questions over the phone:

• “How much do you charge per hour?”

• “Could you describe your approach?”

• “How do you measure success?”

You need a therapist you feel safe and comfortable with. If you aren’t feeling it after 3-6 sessions, it’s time to move on.

A good therapist understands that they cannot be all things to all people. They may even recommend someone who might be a better fit.

In addition to consulting friends or Google for recommendations, you may also search by insurance, therapist name or specialty using the databases at the top of The Women’s Center’s Community Counseling page.

Therapy is a partnership. Like any good partnership, trust must be present and the “chemistry” has to be right.