Therapists for Trauma: How to Find the Right Therapist for Your Needs
When you're looking for a therapist, there are many things to consider. Here are some tips on how to choose the right one for you.
When you need someone to talk to about traumatic events in your life, finding a good therapist can be difficult. You may be experiencing trauma symptoms and having to navigate getting connected in therapy can seem daunting. Searching directories, asking friends or family, researching the types of therapies that exist; it can be draining before you’ve even reached out to one therapist. In a place like New York City especially, it can be even harder to wade through the vast number of trauma therapists you find in your search.
Despite these obstacles getting started, finding a therapist you connect with and getting started in therapy is an important first step to healing. Here are some tips to help you find the best therapist for you.
Look at Their Credentials
A good therapist will have completed training in some sort of trauma therapy and will have significant experience treating people who have been traumatized. While there are many different credentials that a trauma therapist might have (LCSW, LMHC, PsyD/PhD, etc.), extensive training and experience in treating trauma is what’s most important. The therapist should also be licensed and have the qualifications necessary to practice within the state where you live.
Check Out Their Website
You'll want to check out the therapist's website before meeting with them. This will give you an idea of what kind of treatment they offer and whether you feel comfortable with their style. Their website should also give you information about any specific training (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, Prolonged Exposure Therapy, etc.) and areas of expertise they may have (sexual trauma, developmental trauma, family of origin issues, etc.).
Book a Consult
The consultation is your chance to feel the therapist out and see if you would feel comfortable working with them. You should ask your potential therapist about their experience with treating trauma and what their approach to therapy is like. This is really the place to see if you’ll be comfortable with this therapist and if you feel like you’ll be able to connect easily. While things like credentials and modalities are important, it’s really the level of connection that you feel during the consult that matters the most. Healing traumatic experiences can be a painful process at points and it’s important that you feel that you have a therapist who will be in your corner on this journey.
