Where do you find a therapist?

You think you may want to see a Counsellor?

How do you find one?

Where do you even start looking?

One of my goals when I set up the Anneka Barrett Consultancy was to demystify the world of therapy, giving you a clear understanding of the Counselling world. In today's article I want to explore four of the key places you can search to find the right person for you.

Online

Google is my Queen of answers. It is no different when looking for a Counsellor. Any online search engine will be able to show you who is practising in your area and give you links to their websites. Maybe that is how you ended up here!

Your search should also throw up some directories of therapists. Two I like are Psychology Today and Counselling Directory. Both these sites give you a concise look at Counsellors, their style, and their areas of expertise. You can focus your results on what you need by searching an issue, area, or type of Counsellor.

Social Media

Social Media is not just for younger generations and liking photos of cats. It is so much more! It is a great way to find a Counsellor. You can get to know them through the content they produce, and get an idea of what they would be like to work with. It is a great resource to search for hacks to tackle some of the feelings you may be experiencing such as #anxiety or #welbeinghacks. I personally like Facebook and Instagram.

Word of mouth

This my favourite way to get recommendations for anything; my trusted friends and family. Everyone goes through hard times, everyone has had moments where they have needed support. You may know someone who has been to counselling or someone who knows someone who knows someone…. they may be able to make a recommendation. As a caveat don’t be put off if you know someone who had a negative experience, there are lots of reasons why someone's experience could be negative, trust your gut, if you want to look at Counselling, do it.

Your GP

Last but by no means least, your Doctor. Your general practitioner is in a great position to support you on your next step to better mental health. They may even have a Counsellor attached to their practice.

If you have Private Medical Insurance you should check your policy to see if Counselling is covered, and they will have a list of approved Counsellors in your area.

Now you have four ways to continue your journey to better mental health with a Counsellor who is right for you. If you are unsure what type of Counselling may be right check out my article on three of the most popular types of therapy here.

Remember we all need help from time to time. Whatever you are going through, you are not alone.