When it comes to selecting a mental health professional, it can take a few rounds to find someone who fits, so we asked licensed clinical psychologist DrChloe_ exactly what to look for on your search. 💭
Before diving into those questions, Carmichael emphasizes the importance of speaking to someone—anyone—if you're struggling with your mental health if you can. You might not immediately click with the first person you speak to, and that's OK. In the beginning,"just seeing somebody once a week who was going to reliably be there was actually extremely helpful," she recounts her own experience with therapy.
"Fair enough, a therapist could say, 'Well, I don't know you very well yet,'" notes Carmichael."And every person's different, but I personally feel like they should be able to have some idea of who you are, what you're dealing with, and give some sense of: 'Yes, I work with people in situations like yours all the time,' or, 'Oh, this is very rare.'" That way, you can have an idea of how you two will work together.
It's important to know your therapist is tracking your progress and keeping up. That said, Carmichael recommends asking: Do you give homework? Is it my responsibility to remember the homework and talk about it during the next session? Or is that something you do?