So you want to find a therapist in Hamilton…but how and what to say??
Please note: our blog posts are solely informational and are not meant to replace individualized therapeutic advice or healthcare.
Alright! Just contemplating this question is a big step! That’s one of the necessary early steps in the therapy readiness journey. And, you might find that you wane in your gusto about finding someone as your wellbeing waxes and wanes as well. This is all normal, and when the time feels right, you’ll take the next step.
Unfortunately, one of the barriers to finding a therapist for many folks is that they’re unsure of how to do that. Where to look? Who to trust? How to make sure this is the right person for you and what you need right now?
We’ll breakdown some of the most common ways that people find therapists, and then get into the questions to consider before you make that initial call or write the initial email so that you feel prepared for the first interaction.
Where to Look
Word of Mouth - nothing feels as reassuring as getting a recommendation from a trusted somebody. Maybe they’ve worked with this therapist previously or know them personally, and they can vouge for their skills, experience and suitability. It is important to remember that just because one person had a profound and amazing experience with a therapist, doesn’t guarantee that this will be your experience with them. The most important deciding factor should always be your personal comfort with this person. Do you feel safe, heard, and cared for? A lot can be determined in that initial interaction that you have with a therapist, see below for some questions to ask yourself and the therapist once you meet them the first time.
Therapist Databases - There are many online databases that are free for the public to use. You simply search a specific region, or choose from a list of issues/concerns that you are interested in addressing. You can also filter these databases further based on cost, types of therapy, type of professional (if unsure, read our blog post about the difference between a psychotherapist and a psychologist) and more.
Databases to try:
Psychology Today
Affordable Therapy Network
Good Therapy
Therapy Tribe
and more…
Online Searches - For better or for worse, Google knows a lot about us and what we value. Simply searching “therapist near me”, “therapists in Hamilton”, or “mental health therapist in Hamilton” will yield loads of results that will likely appeal to you based on your demographics and location.
The first several results will be paid advertisements by these professionals which often means that they are accepting new clients. This can be the frustrating piece about a word-of-mouth referral or a database search because many therapists have full caseloads and often don’t update that information in real time. But, someone that’s paying for ads (with the keywords that your searching) will often be skilled in what you want to work on AND accepting new clients actively.
Referral from a Healthcare Provider - Some family doctors operate as part of a family health team which means that they might provide OHIP covered mental health services in their office by social workers or psychiatrists. Unfortunately, this often means that they are overwhelmed with requests for free therapy and rely on external referrals for folks that have access to private insurance. Often, a doctor’s office will have a specific group of therapists and other complementary health professionals to whom they refer their patients.
This can be a great place to start while ensuring that you are asking the right questions to make sure you’re committing to the right therapist for you!
Insurance Company Databases - Some insurance companies have their own directory of professionals from which you can search. The nice part of this process is that you’re almost guaranteed that this particular therapist will be covered by your plan. (“Almost” because there are never any guarantees with insurance companies…ugh).
You can either Google the insurance provider and see if they have a directory (like Lumino for SunLife) or call them and ask directly.
Social Media - Well this one is obvious to certain generations and maybe more surprising to others. Social media has become an important tool for reaching the public across-the-board and mental health is no exception. Many therapists have a professional Facebook, Instagram or Tik Tok account through which they share updates, tips, memes and news about their practice. It often helps new clients, or people a little apprehensive about therapy, get their toes wet in a really safe and gentle way. You can hear the therapist’s voice, see their facial expressions, get a glimpse of their office which could make the idea of reaching out to them a lot less scary.
Try searching hashtags like your location (#HamOnt) and some common mental health tags like #MentalHealthMatters, #Depression, #Anxiety, #TherapyForAll, #AffordableTherapy, #MensMentalHealth, #WomensMentalHealth etc.
Colleges and Universities - While colleges and universities often have their own mental health services, they are usually overwhelmed by demand and often rely on external resources for their students. The mental health or wellness department of your college or university is a great place to start the search. From there you can see what they can provide and what the recommend externally.
Those are just a quick 7 options for ways to find a therapist. But, once you find some that feel suitable, what will you say during that initial interaction? How will you determine if this person is the right therapist for you??
Read below for some tried-and-true strategies we use when trying to determine what therapist would be best suited to which client.
What to Say/Ask
When potential clients book one of our FREE Consultation appointments, we work at determining what skills/experience they need in their therapist AND what kind of person they would click with the best. Beyond the training and competence side of the equation is an equally important personality component that could make or break their therapeutic relationship.
One person might love the energy of a direct and no-nonsense type of therapist, while to another person that approach could be off-putting and could cause them to shutdown in therapy. We often use a series of questions to get into the heart of what the client needs on a personal and relational level for effective therapy.
Are there are identity, community or social location aspects of your experience that you want reflected in the therapist?
Do you identify as Queer, non-monogamous, BIPOC, NB, immigrant, religious etc, and do you think it is important for your therapist to also occupy that same social location? It could potentially mean a depth of understanding that you wouldn’t achieve by simply telling someone about your experience.
Some people really value this in their therapist, while others could take it or leave it. What do you think? Does an unspoken understanding about some aspect of your experience appeal to you? If so, start there.
What has your previous therapy experience taught you about what you like and don’t like?
If you’ve done therapy before, then you have some really valuable information about what felt comforting and helpful in that relationship and what didn’t. Even if you’ve only ever had initial consultations with therapists, the fact that you’ve not taken further steps in those relationships tells you something. What rubbed you the wrong way? What would you like to see (or not see) next time?
Reflect on the good, the bad and the ugly of these interactions to really hone in on what you need. Then in your initial consultation, you can keep that mental (or physical) checklist at hand when assessing a new therapist’s suitability to you. Don’t force it, if you find similar issues at the beginning, then it might be worth continuing your search.
This could be anything from therapeutic approach (let’s say your last therapist was a CBT therapist and now you want the same or different approach), or how much they are willing to disclose personally, or their energy level, and so much more.
Who, in your everyday life, if your closest confidante and what makes them so worthy?
Even if you’ve never done therapy previously, you likely have people (or a person) in your life that is your trusted ear and greatest supporter. But why? What does this person do in your interactions that inspires trust and safety? Are there aspects of this person’s approach and energy that you would like to see reflected in your therapist? If so, what are they?
Do you value; curiosity, authenticity, openness, faith, fairness, growth, loyalty, kindness, leadership, recognition, wisdom, etc.? If your values align with what your therapist presents externally, then you might find that the rapport is easier to build and that the deeper work of therapy comes more quickly and naturally.
Along with these personality-based considerations, you’ll also want to ask about cost, availability, training, experience and location of their office. Those questions end up taking the least amount of time in our consultations because it is the human-side of therapy that we value.
We know that great things happen when client and therapist are jiving and have an ease to their interactions. It’s like magic.
If you’re curious about who we are; Meet the Team.
