How To Find the Right Therapist for You Brisbane

As a society, we are becoming more comfortable speaking about our mental health and seeking support. Post pandemic, individuals are seeking therapy more than ever. Over 3.4 million Australians aged 16-85 years saw a mental health professional in 2020-21.

Psychologists are busier than ever. The growing popularity has led to an increase in appointments over Zoom and the phone. With these new pathways to access therapy, in-person and online, the next hurdle is: How do I find the right therapist for me? What am I looking for and where do I look?

Getting started can be confusing. Especially selecting the right type of therapy, method, and professional for you. Now that location doesn’t limit us, we can look for the right therapist for us, even if we will never meet them in person. In this blog we will delve into the tips you should keep in mind when selecting a psychologist.

Research shows that the key to therapy success and growth, is in the relationship and bond you build with your therapist. This means it’s important to consider issues such as age, sexuality, gender, and cultural background.

TIPS TO FIND THE RIGHT THERAPIST

1. Think about what you want from therapy – your goals.

It is a great idea to sit down, and list what is important to you for your therapy. You need to take the time to get real about what your therapy goals are. You’ve made the first big step – you are looking for a therapist. Have a think of your goals, and accomplishments you want to achieve. If you are clear with your goals, you and your psychologist can be on the same page.

You may want to seek support for a diagnosis that you already have, discuss life changes, or just try to make sense of emotions and feelings. Get an idea of what style of treatment that might suit you, such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) or Interpersonal psychotherapy. If you have an idea, you can look for a psychologist that specialises in this.

Don’t feel discouraged if you don’t know what style would suit best. If you are well-matched to a professional, you can still benefit from talking to them.

2. Finances – what is my budget? Does my insurance cover this?

There is no way around, that therapy can be costly. It’s crucial you assess your budget, and what you are comfortable with spending.

Look into your insurance and see what they cover. Specifically, how many sessions you can attend per year, what is your out-of-pocket costs.

In Australia, you have access to 10 rebatable sessions a calendar year through Medicare. This means that if you go to your GP, and receive a referral under the MBS Scheme, the rebate covers up to ten psychology sessions per calendar year. Reach out us to us at CBT Professionals if you have any questions regarding this.  

3. Ask Questions!

When sitting down and assessing what our goals are, it is also beneficial to establish expectations or questions you want to discuss.

Asking you the administrative team or your therapist questions can help you assess if they are right for you. When enquiring, you can ask the following questions to understand your psychologist better:

• How many years have they been practicing?
• How much experience to they have working with people who are dealing with [the area you wish to work on]?
• What is their area of expertise?

When beginning psychology, you can also ask your therapist questions in regards to your treatment, to understand the process better. Such as,

• How many sessions will therapy take?
• How often do you want to see me?
• What is required of myself between sessions?
• Do you provide telehealth services?

4. Trust your instincts – Pay attention to how you are responding to the therapy.

Do you feel uncomfortable during your session? Do you feel like you can’t voice your feelings? Therapy should be a welcoming space, making you feel accepted and safe to voice your feelings. If you aren’t feeling like you can do that, you may need to reassess the pairing between yourself and your psychologist.

Do you feel comfortable? Do you feel judged or unsettled? If you feel like you are holding back, or you can’t tell your psychologist anything, you may want to look at finding a different professional.

Sometimes we don’t click with people. Even if they are an experienced professional, you have the right to look at different options to suit what you need.

WHAT SHOULD BE YOUR TAKEAWAY?

Taking the step to find a therapist, is a step in the right direction for your mental health and well-being. It’s something to be proud of. Finding the right professional for you can take time, and setbacks can be disheartening.

However, there are many pathways, resources and people that can help you find that right fit. When you find that match, you will heal & grow, and find ways to get through the tough stuff.

You are worth the time and commitment to find the right person!

Don’t feel discouraged if it’s taking you some extra time to find the right fit. It takes time and trail & error to find the right fit for you!

1 in 2 Australians will face mental health issues at some point in their lives. Being aware of the options and tips you can access for help, means that if we face difficulties in the future, we know what to do to reach out and be successful.

This is where CBT Professionals comes in. We have a variety of clinical, general, provisional psychologists and mental health social workers. Each of our experienced staff have a variety of cultural backgrounds, education, and expertise. We provide clinical psychology services for Adults, Children, Couples, Families, and third parties, across our three psychology clinics conveniently located in the central and northern Gold Coast regions and Brisbane Southside.

If you are struggling to find the right fit for you, we are here to help. We pride ourselves in therapy that focuses on you, and your unique case. Our administration team are here to help place you with your perfect fit. Contact us now via telephone or online enquiry via www.cbtprofessionals.com.au to book.

Coomera – (07) 5551 0251

Nerang – (07) 5668 3490

Mount Gravatt – (07) 3102 1366

If you, or someone you know, require help, please reach out to organisations like Beyond Blue.

Additionally reach out to these organisations that may be able to help.

• ReachOut (youth mental health service) — online help
• SANE Australia — call 1800 187 263
• Mental Illness Fellowship of Australia (MIFA) — call 1800 985 944
• LifeLine 13 11 14 — for anyone in crisis

(Health Direct, 2020).

If this is an emergency, please contact 000 or visit your local emergency department.

REFERENCES:

The thumbnail photo is all rights to  – https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/16181668-therapy-session-semi-flat-color-vector-characters-editable-figures-full-body-people-on-white-professional-psychological-help-simple-cartoon-style-illustration-for-web-graphic-design-and-animation

Gladwell, H. (2022). How to Find a Therapist with 8 Savvy Tips. Greatist. https://greatist.com/health/how-to-find-a-therapist#_noHeaderPrefixedContent

Lee, M., & Stanborough, R. (2023). How to Find a Therapist: 8 Tips for the Right Fit. HealthLine. https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-find-a-therapist#_noHeaderPrefixedContent