How do I know if a Psychologist is the right therapist for me?

This is an excellent question, and one that we hear a lot. There are plenty of theories and related research into the relationship between client and therapist, and a bit of investigation online will introduce you to terms like rapport, therapeutic or working alliance, therapeutic relationship, transference, countertransference and many others. In this answer I'll avoid theoretical language and talk in practical terms.

There is only so much you can do before going to see a Psychologist. You can talk to your doctor about the reasons for seeing a Psychologist, they may have a Psychologist they can recommend. You can check the profile or other information to see if a recommended Psychologist or other Psychologists that are based within driving distance or reach of public transport have experience and knowledge in the area(s) you are interested in seeing them about. For example, if your symptoms have been described as relating to anxiety, choose a Psychologist who names anxiety as an area that they specialise in or are interested in.

Give yourself a couple of sessions with a Psychologist in order to work out if there is a healthy therapeutic relationship. After each session, think about how you feel. Therapy can be uncomfortable, and most people feel at least a bit stressed or anxious at their first session with a new therapist. But did you feel listened to and supported in the session? Did you feel that you learned something about yourself in relation to thinking, feeling, and behaviour? Do you feel a connection with the new Psychologist that gives you a positive sense about future sessions? Can you see yourself potentially over time becoming comfortable enough with the Psychologist to talk about some of the things that you struggle to think about, let alone tell others? On that last question I say "over time" because therapy is a journey, and it looks a bit different for everyone. Some of us don't know at first what exactly it is we need to work out in therapy, or we might have difficulty trusting others. Even with a well matched therapist for some of us it may take 2 or 3 sessions to get to the heart of an issue, while for others it could take 10 or more.

I often find that behind the question of "how do I find the right therapist?", or "how do I know if a therapist is right for me?", lies a deeper question about human relationships. Our experiences in relationships will range from amazing to awful. While no relationship is perfect, our objective in seeing a Psychologist and establishing a therapeutic relationship is usually deeply personal, and the thought of trying to work through personal things with the assistance of someone who leaves us feeling quite negative is sometimes what keeps us from seeking therapy in the first place. For this reason our usual recommendation at InPsych is to pick a Psychologist whose profile feels promising and try things out. If after a few sessions you are feeling a connection, you have a sense that you are being listened to and supported, and you feel you are making progress in your therapy journey, then keep going, it is likely that you have established a useful therapeutic relationship with your Psychologist. If not, politely cancel any future appointments and try the next Psychologist on your list. If it were possible to work out who the best Psychologist in Australia is, it would be certain that even they would not be the right Psychologist for everyone in Australia. Psychologists know that they aren't the right match for every possible client out there, and they should be understanding and professional if you decide you want to go a different direction with your therapy.

Besides the sense of therapeutic connection between a client and a Psychologist, other factors that are important include the therapy method or approach that the Psychologist uses, and simple logistics of availability, price, and so on. If you get along well with a Psychologist but the specific therapy approach they use is difficult for you, and though you discuss it with the Psychologist there doesn't seem to be any change, or if it is difficult to see your Psychologist in the way you'd like, it may also be time to consider making a change. If you are uncertain, it may help to raise it with your Psychologist, who should be professional and courteous in working through your questions with you.