The Nottingham Therapy Network Guide to Finding a Good Therapist
Finding a therapist is not always easy.
So, you’ve decided to get help, that’s great! But now what? Finding someone to work with is the easy part. Finding someone good can get more difficult. Here are some tips to help you on your way.
1. Are they really a therapist?
It is frustrating that this is the first thing to consider. But unfortunately, therapy in the UK is not a formally regulated profession, which means anyone can call themselves a counsellor, therapist, or psychotherapist. So, it’s a good idea to look beyond just what someone says they are. They should have completed substantial training. It takes years, not a few weekends or a couple of hours doing an online course.
The Nottingham Therapy Network only lists qualified therapists. Yes, we actually check this for every person listed with us.
2. What is their approach?
Therapists can work in very different ways while still having the same intention to help you. So if you have had some really positive experiences working with a previous therapist and want to look for something similar, finding someone with a similar approach or modality might be helpful.
If you are starting therapy for the first time, it can be difficult to predict what to expect, so ask about this. You might also have some ideas about how it will be or what you want, so check those out too.
3. Ask them questions
Any professional therapist should be happy for you to ask questions about them, their training, their experience, and how they work. Many therapists will be happy to have a free initial conversation with you, which allows you to start narrowing down whether this is someone you want to work with or not.
4. Registration and Accreditation
Some national bodies provide accreditation for psychotherapists, meaning that a psychotherapist has undergone significant and robust training and has accrued hundreds of hours of experience. Several different organisations hold a register of psychotherapists recognised by the Professional Standards Authority, which you can see here.
The Nottingham Therapy Network requires all therapists listed with us to be a member of an appropriate professional body.
5. Qualifications
There are various routes and training options available in therapy, and qualifying does not automatically mean that someone is a great or even good therapist, but it’s a prerequisite for an accredited psychotherapist, as outlined above, who will usually have trained to at least undergraduate degree level.
6. Experience
If you know that you want to look at a specific problem or difficulty, do not be afraid to ask about their experience of working with this. Some therapists may have chosen to work with a specific range of issues or experiences, or have a particular interest in some client groups. As with everything else, it should be totally OK for you to ask them about this.
7. Meet them
Talking and asking questions can only tell you so much about a person. The absolute best way to get a sense of whether you could work with someone is to meet them in whatever format you are going to be working with them. So if you want your therapy to be in-person, meet them in person. This can be the most time-consuming (and expensive) part of the decision-making, but it is time and money well spent. The quality of your relationship with your therapist is the most critical factor in your future success and benefit from being in therapy with them.
8. It’s all about you
This guide would be much simpler if it were possible to guarantee what would make a good therapist for you. But the truth is, it is different for everyone. Training, experience, and a particular approach can all play a part. But the most essential factor is finding someone who works well for you. So, that fantastic therapist someone recommended is worth checking out. But just because your friend, colleague, partner, or barista thinks they are amazing does not mean you will. And that’s OK.
9. Ready?
Start your search here. Nottingham Therapy Network connects you with local therapists, counsellors, and psychotherapists.