So I’m set up to meet with a new therapist in 2 weeks, unless she gets an earlier cancellation between now and then. I really want to get a good fit this time. I know to ask about what type of therapy she does, how much education she has had, and what her specialty is.
What else should I ask or be on the lookout for?
For me personally, its not so important if the therapist does CBT - but I personally wont go to a therapist that practices psychoanalysis on me - this is a big no no for me and many others suffering from a severe mental illness.
I would look for compatibility - there has to be a good chemistry between me and the therapist.
My therapist has to be open minded and a clear communicator, any signs of nervousness or agitation from the therapist, and I am out of there. A good understanding of Bipolar for me or Schizophrenia is important.
Good luck to you @Skims
Well for me it’s mostly based on how comfortable I feel with them. I know that there aren’t any talk therapies out there tailored to deal w psychotic disorders specifically so type isn’t so important to me. But then again, I go mostly to vent and then she tells me what plan of action she thinks I should take. I always complain that I feel like I’m not making progress but really she’s helped me with setting up an mRI, seeing a neurologist, pdoc, etc.
Long story short I look for someone who I like and feel comfortable talking with, who isnt pitying (I hate pity-geez my school therapist would always walk by me with these big sad eyes in the hall and I was like please stop) and does their best to understand things from your point of view even when they might not understand themselves. (Which she does a good job of.)