How To Find The Right Therapist

Knowing how to find the right therapist can feel confusing, especially if you are new to therapy.

Beginning therapy can feel like a significant step. For many people, the difficulty is not only in deciding to seek support, but in knowing how to find the right therapist in the first place. There are many different approaches, titles, and ways of working. It is not always obvious what the differences are, or what might suit you. If you are still at the stage of wondering whether to begin at all, you may find it helpful to read more on feeling unsure about starting therapy.

It is natural to want to find the right therapist. Someone you feel comfortable with, who understands you, and who may be able to help you move forward. At the same time, the idea of a “right” therapist is not always as straightforward as it first appears.

If you are currently in the process of finding a therapist, you are very welcome to contact me with questions or an enquiry.

How to Find The Right Therapist: What Does 'Right' Mean?

When people begin looking for a therapist, it often comes with a number of hopes and expectations. You might hope to find someone who understands you quickly, who shares your perspective, or who can offer clear answers and guidance. These wishes are entirely understandable.

In practice, therapy rarely unfolds through immediate clarity or agreement. A meaningful therapeutic relationship is not one in which everything is confirmed or resolved straight away. It is often one in which there is space to explore uncertainty, to reflect more deeply, and at times to encounter something unfamiliar.

Feeling understood matters, but it does not necessarily come from shared experience alone. It can seem reassuring to find a therapist who has lived through something similar to you. In some cases, this may be helpful. But it is not a guarantee of deeper understanding.

A therapist’s capacity to understand does not come primarily from having had the same experiences, but from their ability to listen, reflect, and remain open to how your experience is uniquely your own. At times, a strong identification with a client’s experience can even make it more difficult to see clearly, if the therapist begins to respond from their own story rather than staying with yours.

The “right” therapist, then, is not necessarily the one who feels perfect or immediately aligned in every way. It may be someone with whom something can develop over time. A working relationship in which you feel able to speak, to be heard, and to explore what is not yet fully understood.

Different Types of Therapy

One of the first things people notice when looking for a therapist is the range of different approaches available. Some are more structured, with a focus on specific difficulties in the present. Others are more open-ended, allowing space to explore patterns, relationships, and the deeper context of your experience.

For example, approaches such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) tend to focus on identifying and changing patterns of thinking and behaviour. Other approaches, often described as psychodynamic or depth-oriented, place more emphasis on understanding how past experience and unconscious processes may be shaping the present.

There is no single “best” type of therapy. What tends to matter more is whether an approach resonates with you, and whether it allows you to engage with what you are bringing. If you are drawn to a more exploratory and reflective way of working, you may find it helpful to read more about depth psychotherapy.

What Actually Matters in Therapy

Across different approaches, one of the most important factors is the quality of the relationship between therapist and client. This does not mean that the therapist needs to be similar to you, or that you feel completely at ease from the outset. It does suggest that there is enough of a sense of trust and openness for something to develop.

You might find it helpful to notice:

• whether you feel able to speak relatively freely

• whether you feel listened to, even if not everything is immediately understood

• whether there is space for reflection, rather than pressure to reach conclusions

These are not always things that can be decided immediately. An initial consultation is often less about making a final decision, and more about getting a sense of how it feels to begin. You can read more about how I approach the therapeutic relationship and process in my work.

Practical Considerations

Alongside the relational aspect, there are also practical factors to consider.

This might include whether you would prefer to work online or in person, the cost of sessions, and the availability of the therapist.

It can be a matter of finding a balance between what is manageable in practical terms and what feels meaningful in the work itself.

A Note on Approach

My own work is informed by Art Psychotherapy and depth psychology. Alongside conversation, there can be space to work with images, imagination, and different forms of expression, where this feels appropriate.

The emphasis is not only on addressing immediate difficulties, but on understanding the wider context of your experience. This can include patterns, relationships, and questions of meaning or direction, which may not always have straightforward answers.

Taking The Next Step

Finding the right therapist is often less about identifying the perfect person from the outset, and more about being willing to begin. A first conversation can offer a sense of whether something might develop, without needing to have everything decided in advance.

You can find full details of my practice as an HCPC registered psychotherapist.

If you are considering therapy, you are welcome to get in touch to arrange an initial consultation. This can be a space to ask questions, reflect on what you are looking for, and consider whether working together feels like the right step.

My contact details can be found at the foot of this page.

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Andrew Phillips is a visual artist, HCPC registered psychotherapist, and creative mentor. You can explore more writing, artwork, and reflections via the website.