How Can You Tell a Therapist is a Good Fit?

Since becoming a psychotherapist 4 years ago, I have spoken to many friends and acquaintances about what it means to be in therapy, as well as the benefits and challenges of therapy. One thing I am known for is persuading people to interview more than one clinician before selecting a therapist. My magic number is 3. But this can seem like a lot of time and effort upfront; it might be easier to go with the first person you find. And for those of us with executive functioning issues setting up one meeting might even feel like enough of a barrier. So why do I still pitch this idea?

Research

Research shows that the therapeutic rapport is one of the most important things for client change. More specifically, Boswell et. al (2022) found that therapist match increased efficacy in therapy, particularly when the patient had unique factors like belonging to an equity seeking group. Spending a little more time upfront interviewing therapists before selecting one may lead to more effective outcomes. You don't have to settle for a therapist you don't connect with.

So What Helps Determine Good Fit?

If you are bought-into the idea that you can "shop around" for a good fit, you might be asking yourself what that even means? How can you tell? Here are some things that you could consider.

The Basics

1. Vibe. Do you feel safe around them? Does it feel like you could open up to them? Do you think you will want to talk to them weekly or biweekly for a while?

2. Do they have training/ experience in the area you would like to explore?

3. Does their availability match when you are able to do therapy?

4. Do they have a fee that is affordable for you?

Other Considerations (Particularly for my fellow ADHDers and Autistics)

1. If they say their practice is 'affirming', what does that mean to them? A lot of therapists will label their work 'affirming' because it is one of those buzz words that is floating around - and because generally we all do want to be practicing in affirming ways. But that can look different for everyone. Make sure their version of affirming matches your needs.

2. Do they have lived experience? Is that important to you?

3. Do their political beliefs align with yours? Does that matter to you?

4. Do they have additional education/ training in Autism or ADHD therapy?

5. How might they approach your case? You can ask them how they would approach therapy with you. They may only have a vague idea during the free consultation. But they should be able to give you a general idea of how therapy might look rooted in the modality (ies) they practice.

Conclusion

Any therapist should be okay and actually very happy that you are meeting with more than one clinician before starting work together. We are taught in our educational programs that client-therapist fit is important. In fact working with clients who we connect with more naturally also benefits clinicians. It curbs burnout and leads to more compassion satisfaction. So it is mutually beneficial for clients to 'shop around'.

Next Steps

If you are thinking about starting therapy and think we could be a good fit, you can book a free consultation here: https://lindsayryan.janeapp.com/#/staff_member/1

Or/ And check out Psychology Today for a listing of therapists in your area.

Citation

Boswell, J. F., Constantino, M. J., Coyne, A. E., & Kraus, D. R. (2022). For whom does a match matter most? Patient-level moderators of evidence-based patient–therapist matching. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 90(1), 61–74. https://doi.org/10.1037/ccp0000644