There are so many things to consider in choosing a therapist. It can feel very overwhelming when you first start your search. There are therapists, counselors, social workers, psychologist and psychiatrists and it can feel easy to get them all mixed up! Some areas have a shortage of therapists and it can be hard to find someone who is taking new clients. I want to help make this process as easy as possible for you, mental health care is so important and everyone is deserving of finding a counselor who they feel “gets them”.  Below I discuss a few things to look for when choosing a therapist. 

Here are three things consider when looking for a therapist:

1. Does this therapist specialize in your issues?
2. Does this therapist seem like someone you could connect to?
3. Is this therapist accessible to you?

Does this therapist specialize in the issues you are looking to address?

• Nobody wants to see a generalist, if a therapist claims they can do it all I would advise that you run the other way. If you have a specific mental health problem you want to address I would recommend finding someone who specializing in treating that. 
• You can do this by typing into Google “Anxiety Therapy Akron” and see what comes up. 
• Another thing you can do is go onto Psychology Today and click on the issues you want to work on and they will sort by therapists who treat the issues you check off. 
• You might be thinking “Don’t all therapist treat anxiety”? And yes you could be right that some issues such as anxiety and depression are SUPER common. So make sure when you read through a potential therapists bio you see them state that they specialize in “CBT therapy for anxiety” or “DBT therapy for depression”. It should be very clear what they are best at doing!
• Some issues are more niche and you may want to broaden your search. For example “Religious Trauma therapist in Ohio” might be a better search for you than “Religious Trauma therapist Akron”. 
• Remember that if you are open to doing some sort of teletherapy you can see any therapist in your state. Some therapists are licensed in multiple states such as New York and Ohio, so also keep that in mind as well, when conducting your search.

Does this therapist seem like someone you could connect to?

• When picking a therapist it is SO important that you feel that you have a connection with them.
• Therapy is a special type of relationship where you need to be able to trust your therapist.
• It might take some time to build that connection, but you need to feel that their is the potential to have a strong and trusting therapeutic bond with them. 
• Some ways to gauge this is to read through your potential therapist’s website, how do they speak? Do they look like someone you would want to talk to? Looks to mean everything, but some therapists are an older demographic and maybe you want a younger therapist or vice versa. 
• You can also call potential therapists to see if you get a good feeling after talking to them. Did they make you feel heard? Did they get back to you in a timely manner? All of these things are important when looking for a counselor. 

Is this therapist accessible to you?

• It would be amazing if cost didn’t have to be one of the biggest factors when looking for a therapist, but often it is. 
• I think the number one question I get is about the cost of therapy.
• This makes sense because many people have no idea how much therapy costs when they are first looking for a therapist.
• Many people don’t know their health care benefits either.
• Making sure you can afford therapy is important.
• Do you have health insurance you plan to you? Make sure you therapist accepts it if so.
• If you are in the financial position to self pay for therapy that is amazing, this will open up your options so much.
• It is also important to make sure you are able to get to your therapist’s office, don’t pick a therapist who is super far from you if you plan to attend sessions in person.
• Some therapists offer a sliding scale if you don’t have insurance or you are unable to pay their full self pay rate. 

Counseling for Young Adults in Akron, OH

I hope you found this post helpful. Please reach out if it seems like we could be a good fit. I am a therapist who works primarily with young adults,  I understand campus life better than most private practice therapists.  I have experience helping other young adults navigate the stressful college years and I very much enjoy counseling college students.  I see a variety of people in my Akron, Ohio counseling office. I treat people with depression, anxiety, religious trauma and gender dysphoria.  Still have questions? Get answers to common questions about counseling here or simply schedule a counseling session today to get started!