Decades of research have demonstrated that a good fit with your therapist is one of the most important factors (some argue that it’s THE most important factor) in whether you will have an effective therapy experience.

When considering therapy for the first time, it’s hard to know what to look for. CBT, ACT, DBT, Psychoanalysis, Gestalt Therapy? And that list of types of therapies goes on and on.

With the exception of some very specific syndromes, what matters most for therapy treatment is your connection with the therapist. Do you feel safe to share? Do you feel listened to and understood? Do you feel judged? Do you have some initial trust that this person can help you?

Let this recommendation take some of the pressure off: Try out a few, trust your intuition, and don’t be afraid to move on to someone else.

Also, check out this episode of the Podcast, The Hilarious World of Depression, titled “Adventures in Therapy,” which shares real stories of the good, the bad, and the hilarious in meeting with a therapist for the first time: https://www.apmpodcasts.org/thwod/2018/11/adventures-in-therapy/