You have booked a session with a new therapist. You walk into the office and are greeted by a warm face.
Therapist: Hi, it’s so nice to meet you. Have a seat. You are welcome to put your umbrella in the corner of the room. I know you filled out your intake form online. It sounds like you want to work on your relationship. Tell me about that.
You: Where should I start?
Therapist: Why don’t you start by telling me about your goals for therapy
You: I have been having conflict with my partner and I just want to make sure that I am doing my part. My partner is upset with my drinking, and I want to take a look at that.
Therapist: Okay, sure. We can definitely do that here. Relationships and substance use are two of our specialty areas. Thank you for sharing that with me. Why don’t you tell me a little bit about your background and how you grew up? Let’s start there.
Finding the right therapist is huge. I am sure you have heard that the match is everything. Finding the right match is 80 percent of the work.
How will you know if it’s the right match?
Here are some things to consider:
You should feel safe
Your therapist will help you unravel things that are swirling around in your head
You will feel understood by your therapist.
Your therapist will challenge your thoughts and help you to look at things in a new way
You will work on the things that feel important to you
The Rule of 3:
Most experts recommend that you try at least 3 sessions. Typically, you know whether it’s a match between 3 and 5 sessions.
You are connecting with a new person, so you can expect some discomfort, especially if this is new to you. Three sessions gives you time to get used the process and structure. By session 3, you have had introductions, you have shared your story and your therapist has responded to you and given feedback.
Here are some questions you can ask yourself:
Do I feel respected?
Do I feel like I can be honest with this person?
Do I feel like this person can help me?
How do I feel about their responses?
Is my therapist knowledgeable about the areas that I want to work on?
Research finds that the therapeutic match is one of the most reliable predictors of success.
Modern Therapy and Wellness is a group practice in New Orleans, Louisiana. We provide individual and couples therapy. We believe that all humans can use some therapy. We believe that therapy should be warm, direct and relatable. Give us a call for a free phone consultation 504-452-1483.