How do I choose the right counsellor?
You’ve decided that talking to your friends and your hairdresser isn’t giving you the help you need. You want to find someone who is purposeful about helping you find solutions and healing and has the proper training to do so. So you start your search for a counsellor to help you reach your goals for a healthier you. But where do you start?!
If you’ve been on any kind of counsellor directories like Psychology Today or BC Counsellors, you know that there are MANY different counsellors in Langley and beyond. (Side note, did you know there are 38 counsellors in Fort Langley alone?!) Before you get overwhelmed and wonder if you’ll ever find a good fit for you, we want to give you five points to consider as you start your search for a counsellor. We want to help you choose a counsellor that you will connect with and help you reach your goals for wellness.
What are you wanting to work on?
Imagine if you had a sports injury and wanted to recover in the most effective and quick way possible. If you had the choice between seeing someone who worked with any kind of injury vs. a physiotherapist who specializes in the injury that you are dealing with, who would you go to? It’s almost a no brainer. You would want to see someone whose training and expertise fit your specific needs.
It isn’t any different when you are looking for help with your mental and emotional health. As you start your search, you will notice that the majority of counsellors can help you learn ways to cope with anxiety or depression. Not everyone is trained to help you process trauma, or help you and your partner work on your relationship. Knowing what you need help with helps you narrow down your search.
If you like what you read in their profile or on their website but it still isn’t clear if they have specific training in your mental health needs, ask for a free 15-minute phone call to determine what makes their expertise a good fit for you.
Qualifications matter
In BC, there is no College for counsellors. This means that anyone can be a counsellor without any formal training. So consider the training that you are looking for. The counsellor designations below have all received a Masters level of training. They also have to meet high requirements in order to get these letters behind their name. That means they’ve had a certain amount of hours in the counselling room before they see you. They have either passed a rigorous exam or written a thesis paper to prove they have the solid training and understanding of emotional and mental health before they even hang a shingle.
RCC – Registered Clinical Counsellor. These people have received their Masters of Arts in Counselling Psychology or a similar degree title. This requires 2 years of post-graduate training. They are associated with the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors and will most likely be covered by your health care benefits.
CCC – Canadian Certified Counsellor. These people have also received their Masters of Arts in Counselling Psychology. They are registered with the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. This Association is Canada wide and requires therapists to complete a certain number of continuing education credits every three years to ensure they are providing you with excellent care.
RSW – Registered Social Worker. These therapists have received their Masters in Social Work and are governed by the BC College of Social Workers. Having a College means that they are highly regulated, and make us RCCs jealous!
PhD – Psychologist. These therapists have worked the hardest out of all of us. They have received their Doctorate in Psychology and are governed by the College of Psychologists of BC. A lot of your health care benefits will say they only cover psychologists.
Ask for personal referrals
Talk to your friends, family and colleagues and ask if they know of a counsellor that they would recommend. Word of mouth is quite often a great way of finding a therapist. Ask your friend about their counsellor, but ask questions beyond whether it worked or not. This could be a whole other blog post! Ask questions like: What did/didn’t you like about them? Do they let you lead the session or are they more directive? What is their office like? How long did you see them? Did you reach your goals for counselling?
Do your research
Google is a great tool, but it can send you down a rabbit hole if you aren’t careful. Some great sites to check out are bc-counsellors.org, CCPA, Psychology Today, or counsellingbc.com. These sites have all of the types of therapists noted above. You can search according to the issue that you are wanting help with, and the area that you live in. You will get a list of therapists that are available to serve you.
Looking at a profile on one of these sites is a good first glimpse at therapists that match your search criteria. But it’s just a snapshot. Take another step and look at their website. Are they speaking to you? Do they actually talk about the issues that you are facing so that you know they can help you? Do you like how they speak on their website? Quite often that’s how they talk in session too. Is it easy to, book with them, contact them and then find them?
Also know that just because you talk to a therapist in a free phone call, or even have a session with them, you don’t have to keep seeing them. If the fit doesn’t feel right, you have every right to keep searching for someone who is. We totally understand that and encourage you to make sure you do your homework before digging into therapy.
Thinking about getting started? If you have done this research and feel like you’d like to see if one of our therapists is a good fit for you, we offer the free 15-minute phone consultation that I mentioned before. You can use the button below to book now. And if the therapist we recommend is not a good fit we will provide you with a reliable referral to someone else that we believe will be a good fit.
Lisa Catallo is the Owner/Director at Panorama Wellness Group. She knows what it’s like to meet with a counsellor who isn’t a good fit and is committed to ensuring we help you get the best help possible from someone who helps you feel safe and confident in the work being provided to you.
