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One of the most common questions people ask about therapy is, "How do I find a therapist?" As you'll see here, it's a bit more of a complicated process than one might anticipate, but there are 5 very practical tips that can really help to set you on the right path. If you have more tips than what we provide here, please leave them in the comments!
1. Check Therapy Professional's Designations/ Registration
In BC, the terms, "counsellor," and/or, "counselling," are not regulated. That means anyone with any level of education or experience can call themself a counsellor/ therapist/ coach. This is anticipated to change in the near future, as on July 2, 2024, the term, "psychotherapy," became regulated in BC, and the BC government is currently working on bringing counsellors into a regulated college, likely in 2025. However, there are ways to ensure you see a professional who is highly trained, has been supervised in their practice, and has an overseeing body, and the first step is to understand the different types of designations in BC.
You will want to ensure the counsellor you work with holds appropriate credentials. In British Columbia, there are various professional designations for mental health practitioners, and choosing to work with one of the professionals listed here is one way to ensure you get competent, appropriate, and ethical counselling:
Registered Clinical Counsellors (RCC): Typically hold a master’s degree in counseling or a related field and are members of the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors (BCACC). Find an RCC: https://bcacc.ca/counsellors/
Canadian Certified Counsellors (CCC): Typically hold a Master’s Degree in counseling or a related field and are members of the Canadian Counselling & Psychotherapy Association. Find a CCC: https://www.ccpa-accp.ca/find-a-canadian-certified-counsellor/
Social Workers (RSW): Typically have a Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Social Work and are registered with the British Columbia College of Social Workers. Find a Social Worker: https://findasocialworker.ca/bc/en/default.asp
Occupational Therapists (OT): Typically have a Master's Degree in Occupational Therapy from an accredited program and are registered with the College of Occupational Therapists of British Columbia (COTBC). Find an OT: https://caot.ca/site/findot
Registered Psychologists (R.Psyc): Typically have a doctoral degree in psychology and are regulated by the College of Psychologists of British Columbia. Find an RPsyc: https://referral.psychologists.bc.ca/
(There are other designations you may encounter, but these are the main ones to keep in mind as they all require at least a Master's Degree in a related subject.)
***BONUS TIP: When researching a therapist, it's easy (and wise!) to verify their credentials through their professional website or associations to ensure they are currently licensed to practice in British Columbia and in good standing.
Not only does a professional designation mean that the clinician has a particular level of supervision, experience, and training, it also means that if you are concerned about the ethics or professionalism of the treatment you receive, there is a body you can report to. Additionally, many extended benefits plans cover some or all of the cost of seeing an many of these designated professional (call your plan provider to check your coverage; each plan is unique).
In sum, RCCs, RCSWs, CCCs, OTs, and R. Psychologists all have a form of regulation, standards of practice, codes of ethics, and are the most commonly included in extended benefits plans. This is very different from practitioners who call themselves counsellors with minimal qualifications or who may use interventions which have no evidence to validate the treatment approach and/or can be practicing in a harmful manner.
ACTION PLAN:
If you see a series of letters after someone’s name, ASK:
What do their designations mean?
What is the criteria to have that designation?
Does having that designation offer you some degree of protection/ recourse?
(If you don't see letters after their name, ask about that too!)
2. Check Additional Qualifications for Therapy
Pay attention to what specific training, experience, and education a professional has to support your specific concerns. Even therapists who have a Master's degree tend to enhance their education regularly to maintain their professional development and to better help the populations they work with. Many therapists specialize in specific issues, such as depression, anxiety, or relationship counseling. Look for professionals whose skills align with your needs.
ACTION PLAN:
Ask about how they became qualified to do what they do and what they actively do to maintain that qualification. Ask:
"What did you do to certify as a [coach/ counsellor/ therapist/ social worker/ psychologist/ etc.]?"
"How many years of training/ education was that?"
"What training/ experience do you have specific to treating [my concern/ issue/ problem]?"
"What do you do to maintain this certification/ registration?"
"How research-based/ evidence-informed is the work you do?"
3. Pay Attention to How You Feel in Therapy
The way you feel about someone who is helping with your mental health is a key factor in how successful therapy is likely to be - it's referred to as "Goodness of Fit." Most therapists offer a free initial consult to get a sense of this, but with or without that, over the first 3-5 sessions you should be able to determine if it is a good fit for you.
What to watch for? Well, from an initial consult all the way through the end of therapy, you should not feel coerced, manipulated, or dehumanized. Instead, you should be able to check yes to these three statements after every session:
I feel heard & understood.
I feel seen & validated.
I feel a level of trust & challenge.
If you can check yes to these, that usually is interpreted as having good, "therapeutic rapport," which means there is a good fit and therapy is likely to be beneficial. Still, sometimes, therapy can land hard - it can feel worse before it feels better. There are many reasons this can happen, so before you eliminate a supportive and helpful relationship, make sure you let your therapist know how you are doing session-to-session and be honest if you need some support re-grounding at the end of a session or if things are moving too fast for you. Additionally, sometimes the activities that you may try in therapy or as homework may feel mundane, weird, or uncomfortable; that doesn't always mean they are unhelpful for you, as therapy is about creating some change, and change feels challenging for many reasons. So make sure you give activities and skills a solid try before determining they're not the right fit for you either.
4. Explore your Therapy Goal
A counsellor can support emotional, mental, vocational, relational, financial, spiritual and even physical wellbeing & growth. Treatment offers a dedicated space to explore situations, feelings, skills, and solutions so you can change how you think, feel, behave, and live. But to get there, you need to have an idea of where on the map you are now and where you are trying to land.
Ask yourself:
"If counselling is successful, what will my life look like? What will be different?"
"Why do I want therapy NOW?"
Once you have played with these or similar questions, you can ask a therapist if they can help with this end in mind. If you are not sure what your vision is, ask for help to feel one out. (Many people aren't sure when they start counselling what they specifically want - maybe only having a sense they would like something to be different or feel better - it's ok to ask for help establishing some direction! Some examples of goals for therapy could be to address anxiety, stress, panic, phobias, depression, trauma, relationship issues, existential questions, work or career challenges, habit changes, sleep issues, executive function, parenting difficulties, and so on.)
5. Understand Your Role in Therapy
Counselling is a process of working with a therapist to change your life. The key here, is it is still YOUR life, which is to say that you are the most active and important factor in creating any change. That might mean you commit to:
preparing what to talk about in sessions,
openness - being honest about your feelings and experiences, even difficult emotions and situations,
trying some things you find uncomfortable, weird, or boring,
sharing with your therapist how you are doing along the way,
letting your therapist know if your goals or motivation change,
homework - it's not just what you do in a session that changes your life, but what you do in your day to day,
reflection on your life, sessions, and everything between,
engaging in extra self care activities outside of therapy,
and more!
And remember: Engaging in therapy is voluntary - if it doesn't feel right for you for any reason at all, you can stop, change therapists, take a break, or at least talk to your counsellor about it to see if there are some other ways of working together.
TL;DR (too long; didn't read)
For safe, evidence-informed, and effective support with anxiety, depression, trauma, relationships, communication, parenting, etc. it is up to you to ensure the person you hire is legitimate and the right therapist for you and your current goals. Also, know that therapy can be hard - you may feel worse before you feel better, and you will likely have “homework.” But also know that you can start/ stop at any point, and that you should feel safe & seen in your relationship with your therapist. So: Do your research and take the time to ask questions and pay attention to how you feel - you should feel good about the therapeutic relationship! Remember: You are worth it.
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Cost - One Last Important Consideration for Finding Therapy
One aspect we didn't discuss above is the cost of therapy, and this is actually quite important too. You can anticipate paying $140 - $250+/ session depending on the level of experience and specialization a therapist has (psychologists generally cost more). If finances are a barrier to having therapy in place, you can look into low cost/ no cost options - and just because something doesn't cost as much doesn't necessarily mean it's not as good! Here are some ideas to source out some free or lower cost options if needed:
Check if your work has an EAP/ EFAP therapy program. Sometimes employers have these in addition to the extended benefits and you can be quickly placed with a counsellor for a limited number of sessions.
Speaking with your medical provider is one way to access many community or public health programs of this nature (ie. Reproductive Mental Health Services, Early Psychosis Intervention programs, the Bounce Back program, CBT Skills Group, etc.).
You might also look into community agencies who offer counselling - you can try calling 211 or visiting https://bc.211.ca/ to get this information.
You can reach out to local clinics to see if they have any interns (therapists completing their Master's Degree and awaiting registration with a college or association) who are offering lower cost or probono sessions.
You can even ask counsellors if they have any sliding scale or probono spots open.
Interested in Reading More About Therapy?
Thinking ahead? Check out this write up on what to expect in a first therapy session here: https://www.kaydahealth.ca/post/navigating-your-first-counseling-therapy-session
Looking for other info on how to find therapy in BC? Check out what HealthBC has to say here: https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/health-topics/tips-finding-counsellor-or-therapist
Wondering about what kinds of treatment might help you? Head over to our booking site and book a consult now to ask a clinician directly: https://theamegas.janeapp.com/
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