How To Choose A Psychologist?

Psychological care has become more necessary than ever. After more than a year and a half of tension and concern over the effect of the pandemic, emotional problems have increased considerably in children, adolescents and adults.

If you are considering seeking psychological help and you do not know very well where to start, in this article, I give you some basic keys to choose the psychologist that best suits your needs.

When to seek psychological help

When emotional distress appears, many people try to solve their problems on their own or take time to see if they solve themselves. However, most of the time, this does not happen.

If you have tried to resolve your emotional distress yourself, but the problem persists or increases, this is the time to seek professional help. You must understand that the sooner it is stopped, the sooner it can be solved and, in addition, you will prevent it from worsening over time.

Where to find a psychologist

Once you have decided to seek help, the next step is where to find a psychologist. These are the most common options.

• Social Security

A first option may be to go to the family doctor to assess the possible psychological care. This is a slow option, due to the shortage of staff, but it is also the cheapest, since it is covered by Social Security.

• Health insurance

Most of them also offer psychological care services.

• Medical or psychology portals

There are specialized portals where you can find professionals. You can even search by provinces to find the closest psychologist to your place of residence.

• Social networks

If you find articles or videos of a professional who talks about the subject that interests you and gives you confidence, you can always look for their contact to start working (in person or online).

• Word of mouth

The best advertisement for a psychologist is his own satisfied patients. You can ask among your networks of friends or family if they know a trusted psychologist. They sure give you some good reference.

How to choose the professional that suits me?

There is no ideal therapy, perfect for everyone. Depending on the person, their life circumstances, their problem and the objectives that are raised, you can benefit from one type of therapy or another. There are many types, many schools, focused on different problems.

It is up to each person to investigate and ask the necessary questions to the professional, to check if the therapy they offer is adequate to work on their problem.

Most psychologists usually make an informational appointment to tell you about the type of therapy they do and how it can help you with your problem. Go prepared to this appointment, make a list of questions, ask your questions and concerns. Also, test the level of trust that the person offers you: has he resolved your doubts? Has it given you security? Has he been an empathetic person? Did you find it professional?

Let’s see some important points to keep in mind when deciding:

• Depth level

Some therapies focus more on working on the symptom, the most obvious problem, while others prefer to go deeper to eliminate the underlying cause that is causing that problem.

For example, smoking may be the result of poor anxiety management, but there are therapies that offer short-term ways to quit smoking. Obviously, if the underlying problem is not addressed, the symptom will reappear in one way or another, but there are people who do not seek to delve so deeply or, perhaps, it is not their time.

• Directivity level

It is important to ask if your psychologist will give you precise instructions on what to do or help you find your own solutions. The closer you get to this second option, the more effective the job in the long run.

• Confidence level with the psychologist

The level of trust in the professional is a key factor for successful therapy.

Is online or face-to-face therapy better?

Current technology allows online therapy with little difference compared to face-to-face therapy. Thanks to the internet, you can choose a professional from anywhere in the world if you cannot find someone you trust in your area.

If you are looking for emotional help, remember, there is no ideal therapy for everyone. Each person should look for the professional and the type of psychological therapy that best suits their needs. If you do not feel that it is the right one, nothing happens to ask, try and change the psychologist.