How to Know If You Have a Good Therapist

Therapists can be either doctors or master's degree-certified caregivers who provide mental health counseling to patients. Psychiatrists can also provide these services, but they generally deal with the medical spectrum of mental illnesses.

Things You'll Need

• Doctor certification that should be displayed

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Instructions

• 1

  Ask the therapist you are seeing what her credentials are. Every state has a certification process. To offer therapy, a person must have a master's degree in a certified field and pass an exam. Psychology at a master's level does not certify one to be a therapist, but a degree in areas such as mental health counseling do. A person might have their degree, but not have passed the state licensing exams. Lack of certification immediately tells you that you need to contact another therapist.

• 2

  Expect the therapist to keep confidentiality. The only thing they are allowed to release is information that you are going to harm yourself or others. Otherwise, unless mandated by a court, the therapist must keep all conversations confidential. If for some reason, you learned that your therapist shared your information with someone else, it is time to contact another therapist.

• 3

  Look for a level of trust between you and the therapist. This is a person to whom you will be telling some very private things. Trust is a complicated issue, but if you do not feel comfortable telling your therapist needed information, you might want to try to find another therapist.

• 4

  Develop rapport with the therapist. With rapport, there is a give and take in relationships and conversations between the therapist and patient. They should concentrate on you and your problems, share when needed, not concentrate the conversation on themselves, and listen attentively. If proper rapport or a professional working relationship is formed, you will be able to receive better results from your therapy. Under any circumstance, you should not be humiliated, abused or threatened. These are signs that not only do you have a bad therapist, but a therapist that you can report to certification boards in your state or country.

• 5

  Watch for progress in your therapy goals. Everyone comes to a therapist for different reasons and with different issues. If you have been open and honest and have told your therapist what you wish to work on but things stay the same, you are not making progress with the therapy. You need to ask the therapist how they see your progress. You may not see an improvement or feel your questions or concerns have been answered, but the therapist may be able to give specific details. If you feel this it not happening, you may be with the wrong therapist.