How to Choose a Therapist

A close friend reached out to me recently to ask whether ketamine therapy might be a good choice for a loved one. When I do consultation calls with potential patients, they sometimes share that they are looking for someone who practices in a specific therapy type, often Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) or Internal Family Systems (IFS).

While ketamine therapy, EMDR, and IFS are practices that have helped many people, I hesitate to recommend a specific modality to anyone. 

Both my experience and the research suggests that the most important thing you can do when looking for a therapist is to trust your own judgment about whether or not a particular therapist is a good fit for you. 

What the Research Says About Trusting Your Judgment 

Research has consistently demonstrated that the bond between the client and the therapist is the only consistent–and the most powerful–predictor of therapy’s effectiveness. Basically, the research studies involve asking the therapist and the therapy client each how they would rate the quality of their relationship with each other. Effective therapy is associated with a high combined score of the ratings the therapist and the client give of their relationship. 

What’s it like to be with them?

The bond between therapist and patient is built on a sense of comfortable collaboration with each other. While that bond is often built in part on the therapist’s presence, acceptance, and empathy, it’s vital for you as the patient to feel connected and trusting that the therapist you’re working with really can help you. 

Now, when I speak to a friend or potential patient about choosing a therapist, I tell them to trust their gut. What does it feel like to be with the person? Do you feel comfortable with them? Do you feel open to sharing with them? 

There are all kinds of things people look for when seeking therapy, but the most important place to look is inside you. If you sense that the person you’re working with can help you, if you sense you can trust them and work comfortably with them, then you’re off to a great start!