PTSD Professional Perspective: Choosing A Therapist

Finding and choosing a therapist is a challenge for everyone with post-traumatic stress. We need help. We usually cannot heal alone. (Have you healed alone?? I’d love to hear your story!)

This week, a guest post by Catriona, a woman who works for Counselling Directory, a U.K. site set up with a simple but much needed purpose — to put those who need help in touch with those people who provide it. Catriona has some interesting thoughts about the process of choosing a therapist…

Things to Consider When Deciding to Enter Therapy

Over an average year around one in four people will experience some kind of mental health problem - whether it be work-related stress, a family crisis, or something more serious like abuse. Depression is the most common mental illness, affecting one in five people. Counselling provides a welcome alternative to medication and encourages people to deal with their issues rather than continually suppress them, which can lead to more serious problems.

Of course, the decision to undertake counselling is not one that anyone makes lightly. Many consider the idea for months or even years before deciding to take the plunge.

The main hurdle anyone must overcome before opening themselves up to counselling is accepting they have a problem that needs dealt with. Whether it be an addiction, a mental health illness, suffering abuse or an eating disorder, no one likes to admit he is struggling. Often friends and family will try to encourage the person to accept they need help, but the decision must ultimately come from the person himself.

Finding the right counsellor is essential, and there are many things to consider. Counsellors often specialise in certain areas, so it’s important the individual finds one that addresses their specific needs, with an approach they’re comfortable with.

There are practical considerations too, such as location. Despite assured complete confidentiality people may prefer to see a counsellor that is perhaps outside their local area, but still in surroundings they are comfortable in.

In the current climate, price is becoming more and more of an issue. Many counsellors are now offering reduced rates for those unemployed or claiming benefits, and many are very accommodating so that all those that need help can have access to it.

Perhaps most importantly is ensuring the counsellor is fully qualified to practise. There are accrediting bodies and qualifications guidelines, plus academic qualifications in counselling: under-graduate, post-graduates and doctorates. Being accredited by a professional body means the counsellor will have met several criteria, such as a certain number of hours of training undertaken, and hours practising under supervision.

This is where Counselling Directory (a UK services) comes in. A comprehensive searching tool, the site allows postcode, town and country searches, and produces a list of counsellors registered in this area. Each counsellor has a profile, listing a bit about themselves, their approaches, what areas they deal with, and all their training, qualification and experience and fees. The site shows which counsellors are registered/accredited with a professional body, plus offers full profiles which are displayed after insurance and qualification documents are checked or membership with a professional body has been verified.

The site has also become a huge information bank - there are articles written by the counsellors, as well as comprehensive information on all kinds of distress - from depression to eating disorders to abuse, to help people identify their problems and become informed, not scared. There’s also a blog that reports the latest health news and developments.

For more information visit: www.counselling-directory.org.uk

The U.S. also has similar sites including this resource on Psychology Today.

And information specifically for finding help for PTSD.

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Tags: Counselling Directory, depression, mental health, mental illness, ptsd, therapist