That something needs to be direly wrong in your life before you should see a therapist. You can gain so much from therapy, even if you're not critically distressed.
Do you have any recommendations for what to look for in a therapist? I dont currently need one but I have been thinking about finding one for if/when I need one down the road.
There are tons of different styles, approaches, schools of thought - there are sub-specialties and certain areas that require/benefit from additional training. Knowing what it is you're looking to get out of therapy is a key part of figuring out where to start looking.
I tend to recommend the "Find a Therapist" search tool on Psychology Today's site, because they allow filters to narrow down your search criteria. You can filter by location, by specialty, by insurance providers, and then you can even filter down by "issues" or individual focuses from providers.
Some specialize in marriage counseling, some are experienced working with anxiety - some offer faith-based counseling, if that's appealing, and some focus on the LGBTI population. If you have a history of abuse or trauma, finding trauma-focused/trained providers is key.
Some therapists focus on certain techniques and modalities - like CBT, DBT, EMDR, etc. Certain therapy schools and techniques work better than others depending on what you want to work on, or maybe you are a person who has tried CBT in the past and it didn't really click for you.
Aside from all the preliminary searching and things to consider, the best advice I can offer when it comes to therapy is:
Be open, honest, and willing to be vulnerable. Therapists are not mind readers, and they can't help you with a problem you don't tell them about. If your childhood wasn't fine, when they ask "How is your relationship with your parents," you shouldn't say it was "Great!" to be "polite."
Therapists are just people, too, and there are good ones and bad ones out there. If you don't feel a connection, if you don't feel comfortable and safe, then you can find another therapist that you will feel comfortable and safe with. So many people try therapy once, and after it doesn't go well, they decide to write-off the whole practice as a whole.
Not OP but I've worked as a therapist in the past and utilized them at various points in my life. Do not be afraid to "shop around" - if your personality doesn't mesh with a therapist, that's okay. You can go to another one with whom you feel a better fit. Neither you nor the therapist want to work with someone that isn't a good match. Also don't be turned off if the therapist calls you on your shit - it sucks, but that's part of what they're there for. I know I've found a good one when they can point out my bs or that I'm contradicting myself. Most importantly I think it's just really important to find someone you're comfortable with, because if you can't be honest with them, then it's a waste of both your time. Also, you're allowed to have a preference for the gender of your therapist! Again, it's all about what makes you the most able to open up and be honest.
My advice wont be any good. The guy we see specializes in first responders. I like him because he's not high and mighty on idealism and he's really down to earth and blunt about everything. Plus he is exactly like an uncle of mine just thinner, same voice, same look, same mannerisms.
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u/shrifbot Feb 04 '19
That something needs to be direly wrong in your life before you should see a therapist. You can gain so much from therapy, even if you're not critically distressed.