How to find a good counselor?

Due to the pandemic, everyone’s anxiety and stress are on the verge. Hence, the demand for a counselor is increasing. It is very important to have a professional and experienced counselor who could not only understand your issue by talking to you. But also understand the problems that you are not able to share. Although there are a lot of therapists that assure to provide the best service, finding the one who is dedicated to helping people is hard.

If you have never seen a therapist before, it becomes even more stressful to choose the best one. We have made a list of points that you should consider while selecting the best counselor for you.

1. Talk to the therapist on call. Check whether the therapist is familiar with evidence-based treatment to solve your issues. Evidence-based treatments have been tested scientifically and proven to be effective.
2. Check if the counselor holds a license. Every state provides a license to the counselor who proves to be competent in their services. Professionals who have taken proper training are able to receive a license and use more successful treatments.
3. Ask if the counselor has experience in dealing with issues similar to yours. Some therapists are specialized in working with either children, families, adults, or older. You should make sure that your therapist has enough experience.
4. For online counseling, ask in advance how many sessions will you be given with the time limit if the counselor will be available in an emergency or accessible only for a limited period.
5. Find out what kind of therapy your counselor will provide: long-term therapy, short-term therapy, or individual or group therapy.
6. If you are not able to find the perfect counselor for yourself. Let your friends and family members know that you are searching for one. They might be able to give you recommendations.
7. Always remember that choosing a counselor is a very personal matter. There is not one therapist that is good for everyone. It would be best if you had the sense of trust that the therapist you have selected can help you.

Once you have tried all the points mentioned above, there is no need to hurry you should take enough time to think about all this. You can also try some initial sessions with a couple of therapists to select the one you are looking for.