How to Find a Good Psychologist?

In the world of depression, personality problems, stresses and hassles a person tries to find an island, where everything falls into place.

At first, he tries to solve the problems and find the way out of depression on his own. Though, if the techniques of personal therapy are not effective, he turns to a specialist.

A guide of this island becomes a psychologist or a psychotherapist.

How to find a good psychologist who can actually help? A person, who won’t make the situation still worse?

In the article below we share some recommendations which are likely to help you to find a good qualified specialist in this sphere.

Why people want to find a good psychologist?

People come to a specialist with such requirements:

• Find out some new information.

  Often the received information evokes other questions, but in order to know how to ask or formulate them two things are needed: several sessions and formed trust of a client to a psychologist.

• Getting direct relief and feedback, as well as support in difficult situations.

• Substantial help in making the decision.

  This requirement isn’t be solved by a psychologist or a psychotherapist, because the important decisions are made by the person on his own.

  However, behind this question there may be a doubt in the personal ability to make difficult decisions and take responsibility for them.

• The need to manipulate the surrounding people.

  It’s closely connected with the desire to change people, who surround you, such as family members (children, husband, parents).

  This need is not and mustn’t be satisfied by a psychologist.A specialist will try to reformulate the need and show how it’s connected to the client’s personality.

What should you pay attention to, while looking for a good psychologist?

1. The ways how to conduct a search of a specialist.

   One can find a good professional in the psychotherapy with the help of such mediums:

   • Internet websites.

     A good, self-respected psychologist will not fall behind the information society and will create either the whole website, or a page in social networks.

     From these sources you are able to find out about the psychologist’s activities, spheres of influence he works with.

     You may as well learn how he works and the working hours, fees for consultations and read how high his clients speak of him.

   • Friends and relatives’ recommendations.

     It’s an old method, but a reliable one.

     A person, who has already been to a consultation with a psychologist or a psychotherapist, can speak about this specialist better than any advertisement.

     He is sure to say how good he is at his work and whether he is worth turning to.

   • Psychology department.

     There are many good, excellent psychologists, who work in both the sphere of education and psychological practice.

     Such psychologists usually don’t have any pages, websites or advertisements.

     How good they are is obvious for their students, and it is the advertisement itself.

     Moreover, the number of clients and amount of experience is usually huge. You can easily trust them.

2. Education.

   • To get a good consultation of a good psychologist don’t be afraid to ask about his education.

     You can even ask to show his diploma.

   • Find out how he develops the vocational competence or if he takes part in professional conferences.
   • Learn if he has any experience in working with similar problems you currently have.

3. Areas.

   
   There are no versatile psychologists.

   If a specialist works with families, and is a psychologist for children, and at the same time works with psychological pathologies, with women who gave birth to a child and does many other things, you should think whether such a unique specialist will really help you to cope with your own problem.

   It’s quite normal if a psychologist specializes only on one or two areas.

4. Visual perception.

   Someone finds it easier to talk to a woman, another person prefers a man.

   Someone wants to have a psychologist of a certain nation, religion, etc. Some people want an old grey man, very wise and experienced; others give preference to a young and ambitious person, who is new in this area.

   Decide which kind of person should be with you, so that you’ll find the one you could open your soul to.

5. Costs of service.

   Most people believe if a thing is expensive, it’s sure to be qualitative.

   Actually, it’s not so true.

   The price for the psychologist’s service may be overrated and indicate two possible factors, which may influence you:

   • The first one is you.

     You are to agree that not everyone can afford long term therapy and give all money, depriving themselves from the basic needs.

     One may only imagine how harmful such treatment will be.

   • The second factor is the personality of a psychologist.

     Sometimes psychologists also have problems, and if he has a high self-rating, his prices will also be very high.

     It means the process of your psychotherapy may be not that successful because of the psychologist’s personal problems.

     As a result, the consultation may not bring the expected results.

   Too low prices indicate the initial level of a psychologist’s practice and his inexperience. If you are ready to be a guinea pig, this is a perfect variant for you.

   Nevertheless, there is another side of the coin – young specialists (regardless of being inexperienced) value their clients and are devoted to the job. So, you can get good help very cheap.

   Who Is a Psychologist?

6. Personal impression.

   The first meeting with a psychologist is extremely significant and not significant at the same time.

   Many personal and professional qualities are revealed only during the working process, but if a person evokes distrust and rejection from the first sight, you’d better find another specialist.

   You need a person you can trust in order to achieve some results.

When should you stop communication with a psychologist?

• a psychologist bans recording your consultations on the dictaphone;
• a psychologist is recording your consultations without your permission (or insists on it, when you refused);
• a psychologist tries to build your relations outside the consultations (friendship, love, business) or supports your initiative in it;
• a psychologist speaks to you in an irritable, caustic and derisive tone;
• a psychologist blames you for something. Not just says about your responsibility for some events in your life, but actually blames.
  For example, “You are late for the consultation on purpose”, “You are guilty that people treat you this way”.

How to become a better person?

Professional instruments of a good psychologist:

1. Personal charm: it’s the only thing which directs to a confidential talk.
2. Stable relationships with the colleagues: the experience of more mature professionals can show how to master his work.
3. The persuasion and influence techniques: constant personal training can teach how to achieve striking success in working with clients.
4. Personal wealth: when a psychologist is happy at home and at work, he is focused only on the client’s problems.
5. Consulting ethics: the ability to keep secrets and the knowledge how to ask questions with tact.
6. The atmosphere of trust: a psychologist is not “free ears”, but a friend, who can find a solution and turn your problem in another way.

To find a good psychologist you must remember only one rule: a good specialist won’t solve problems for you, he may only give some pieces of advice and bring closer to the right decision, but the decision will be all yours.