There are a number of important reasons why finding the right therapist to embark on a
healing journey matters. The key ones that come to mind for me are: 1) choosing an
experienced therapist as this is a process that is vulnerable and hard, but also worth it
2) you need a therapist that is technically experienced in any therapeutic approaches
specifically important to you 3) trauma happens in attachment and is healed in
attachment. While you may or may not choose to make healing attachment a central
part in your treatment, it is always part of the therapeutic relationship 4) and you will
need to be aware of where your therapist works and the related treatment options there.
Confused?! No worries, let’s unpack these 4 decision points.
1) Choosing a therapist experienced in treating trauma.
You are likely struggling in your life due to your identified trauma experience(s). You
may have increased anxiety, panic attacks, flashbacks/nightmares and your sex life may
be unsatisfying &/or triggering. These are very personal, vulnerable things to talk about.
So please ensure you take the time to find a therapist you feel comfortable talking to.
This is where their experience in trauma treatment is so important. They have to know
what you are going through and how to treat it. You have to build trust and know this
process is worth it, will yield good results so you feel more in control and better
understand your triggers. A therapist should be aware you are the one that goes home
with the hard things that come up for you. You are bringing it to the surface to heal and
feel better. You need to trust that your therapist can hold space for you and know what
they are doing. Many therapists are trauma informed which is not the same as
specialized. You need to feel comfortable asking questions and possibly getting
reassurance along the way. Sometimes we don’t know what we are looking for, but
know when we have found it.
2) Therapist experienced in the approaches you are interested in trying.
Some people have an idea of the approach they want to try to process and heal trauma.
You may have tried a few approaches and they helped, but are looking for a different
one moving forward. You may have read a therapist’s profile and be excited about more
nonverbal/creative approaches they use in their sessions. Your chosen therapist will
need to be experienced in the approaches you want to try or speak to you. There are
many ways to heal trauma. Ex. EMDR, Sandtray, CBT. They all work, it is about finding
the right one for you. But remember, the most important reason to choose a therapist is
making sure you are comfortable with them and feel you can begin building trust.
3) Attachment in Therapy.
Attachment is a fancy way of referring to how we connect with others and our beliefs
around those connections Ex. Being close to others is unsafe, people will always hurt
me. Some therapeutic approaches directly treat this attachment as it is always affected
by a trauma history. But even if you choose strictly a strategy-based approach that
does not directly treat your attachment wounds, it is an indirect part of therapy that
activates in session, as in all close relationships. This can result in finding it hard to trust
your therapist as you get more vulnerable, and will inevitably play out in sessions. Your
therapist will need to know how to help you in this and you will want to choose someone
you can talk to about this. Otherwise you may get uncomfortable and feel the need to
stop going before your treatment has been completed.
4) Consider where your therapist works.
This is a very practical important piece. If your therapist works in a health care setting
they may only be able to offer a certain number of sessions. There may be waiting lists
or other restrictions if you feel the need to see them or work with them again. If they are
in private practice they may be better able to offer flexibility, but the cost may be higher.
Do you have benefit coverage for therapy? Does your benefit plan cover only certain
practitioners ex. Psychotherapist, Social Worker? How many sessions would be
covered per year based on their fees? Can you pay out of pocket after your benefits are
exhausted?
Therapy is an incredible process to open up and work with a trusted professional to heal
trauma and related concerns. With the right therapist to hold space for you it can be
beneficial and even change your life.
Where to look? Try online, your doctor, a trusted friend/family member.
Get Inspired to Change You Life.
Comments