Finding the Right Therapist

When we first started going to therapy, my son had an incredible therapist. He bonded with her, and she helped guide me /prepare me for this journey. When we moved to another state, I was scared that we would never find someone as wonderful as our first therapist.

The first five months in our new state were difficult. We started with a therapist our doctor recommended. She was fresh out of college and really didn’t know what she was doing. She jumped all over the place as far as skills and was not good at communicating what I needed to do at home. The next therapist we tried was pregnant and just ready to have the baby. She didn’t work on my son’s goals and allowed him to not participate. Our third attempt was “the charm”. The therapist was warm and inviting. She took the time to talk with me and helped me problem solve ways to help my child. She cared about my child and created a plan to help him progress. She also followed up with me to let me know how he was doing each session and gave me things for us to work on at home. I felt so blessed to finally find the right fit.

This week I was asked, “What do you look for in a therapist?” The mom was new to the therapy world and was looking into therapy for her child. I told her this:

·        someone that is knowledgeable and a critical thinker

·        someone who listens and is empathetic

·        someone who has a plan (on your specific child) and gives you updates

·        someone who cares about your child and wants the best for them

·        someone who will challenge your child

·        someone who will communicate with you and work with you as a team

·        someone who connects with your child

Finding the perfect therapist makes a huge difference in your child’s progress. It might take a couple of clinics before you find the perfect fit. If you are not sure where to start, ask around and see who others recommend. Then, schedule a walk through and meeting with the therapist before you begin to get a “feel” of the environment. It is always okay to change clinics. It might be hard in the beginning, but finding the right fit will work out in the long run.