How to Ensure You Feel Safe with Your Therapist

 

Seeking mental health is a difficult process for many. This could be made more difficult if you are unable to find someone who you click with or someone who you feel doesn’t understand you or wants to help you work through whatever issue may be happening at the moment. Here are some quick tips to assist you in ensuring you are finding the correct therapist for your mental health needs and your growth:

·       Ask the therapist what their specialty is and how it can benefit whatever need you may have

·       Ask the therapist what interventions they use, and how they help with your diagnosis

·       Make sure to always talk with the billing department about how much your sessions cost and if the therapist is covered by your insurance

·       Ask the therapist how they build deep relationships with their clients (i.e. rapport)

·       Does it matter if the therapist has a religious affiliation? Then ask them. If it’s important for you, you shouldn’t go against your values

·       Do they support you fully in both your gender preference and sexual orientation? The right therapist will identify you as you want to be identified as, and will use the correct pronouns with you at all times.

Some red flags to look out for in a therapist.

·       Therapist is talking more about themselves than about your concerns.

·       Therapist is interrupting you to invalidate you. Be aware some therapists do interrupt to assist you in being able to think in a more healthy manner, but if it is disruptive or unhelpful make sure to tell them.

·       Any inappropriate behaviors from therapist. Your boundaries matter! If a therapist is behaving sexually towards you, immediately leave and tell their supervisor or their board of licensure.

·       Therapist has violated your confidentiality. As a reminder, if you are suicidal or homicidal and you have a plan, a therapist will need to break confidentiality for your safety. But if they are talking with their family, their friends, or people in general who have nothing to do with your treatment, this breaks confidentiality.

·       If you don’t feel safe enough with the therapist to open up about your thoughts and emotions.

·       If you feel judged or shamed by the therapist.

·       If the therapist pushes you or forces you to talk about something you aren’t ready for.

If your therapist does any of these things and you fear they may be causing their other clients more harm than good, please reach out to their supervisor for proper guidance on what to do next. Just because they are a therapist, doesn’t mean they are a good one.