Choosing A Psychotherapist

Like any decision that we make in life, making the choice to seek therapy involves mastering a large body of knowledge, sifting through the thousands of therapists in the field and finding the right one, understanding different psychological approaches to counseling and what might work best for any one person, learning a variety of skills on how to be in therapy, and exploring one’s most inner self with a complete stranger. Most people are unfortunately stuck navigating this difficult process on their own, leaving a lot of things up to chance. Choosing Therapy acknowledges these difficulties and offers readers the tools they’ll need to choose the right therapist, set their goals for therapy, and understand the benefits and outcomes available to them through the various approaches therapists take. When entering therapy,individuals may not be armed with the information they need in order to make progress and see results. Many stop therapy if they don’t feel they are getting anything out of it; others stop if they feel they are being treated differently by others who know they are in therapy. In Choosing Therapy, Ilyana Romanovsky clearly defines various psychological approaches therapists take, the different types of therapies available including long terms versus short term and group versus individual therapy, and ways of overcoming stigma associated with being in counseling. She discusses various psychotherapeutic medications and other questions patients might have about the ways they might address the issues they experience. Helping readers to define goals, understand treatment options, and prepare to do the work of therapy, Romanovsky offers a clear roadmap to those new to treatment, to those returning to treatment, and to those helping others to seek treatment.

An in-depth look at a much misunderstood practice, offering a fresh viewpoint on how this science can be a universally effective route to our better selves.

The demand for psychotherapy and counselling is greater than ever. More and more people are enrolling on psychotherapy and counselling courses; the number of different associations in this industry has doubled and everyone knows someone who is in therapy or at least thinking about it. So are standards of practice being sacrificed while we are trying to keep up with the demand? Are the right people training to be psychotherapists? Have you got the right psychotherapist?

Are You Considering Therapy? is a guidebook for people who are thinking about going into therapy but aren't quite sure where to start. It will look at the various aspects of choosing a therapist, from sorting through the numerous types of treatment on offer, to deciding whether an individual practitioner is someone you might want to work with. The book will not only explain the differences between a psychiatrist, a psychotherapist and a psychologist, say, but will also give people some sense of the sorts of things that might happen in a session - as well as looking at the many and varied notions of 'cure'. For example, while a behavioural counsellor might make it their mission to rid you of your symptom as quickly as possible, a Lacanian psychoanalyst may consider it their ethical duty to see you through an experience of subjective destitution. (The book would also explain what on earth this means.) Are You Considering Therapy? will aim to treat all therapies equally, and to allow readers to make their own choices about what might suit them.

Almost two decades ago, the psychoanalyst Sussman concluded that the therapist's motivation for practicing was a neglected area. Is this maybe a question best left alone? This book revisits the question. The authors support Sussman's rationale for raising the issue in the first place and wonder if much has changed since he referred to it as a 'neglected' area twenty years ago? This is an inquiry that moves from personal musing to collaborative and systematic inquiry. At the heart of the book lie six separate accounts as told by counsellors and psychotherapists in a reflective writing- and peer support group. Each therapist represent a different modality and all come with very different backgrounds. These accounts are put into context of ongoing literature and viewed with reference to a survey where 238 other therapists provide their perspective on the question. Like in the case of, for instance, Feltham (1999), Rowan & Jacobs (2003) and Val Wosket (1999) 'the therapist's use of self', is a key theme.

The demand for psychotherapy and counselling is greater than ever. More and more people are enrolling on psychotherapy and counselling courses; the number of different associations in this industry has doubled and everyone knows someone who is in therapy or at least thinking about it. So are standards of practice being sacrificed while we are trying to keep up with the demand? Are the right people training to be a psychotherapists? Have you got the right psychotherapist?' This little book is written for patients. It is a challenge to action. Do not be satisfied with a malingering treatment. Gird your loins and challenge your psychotherapist and be prepared to go to a new one. It is worth the trouble to find the right person. Psychotherapy is a long and expensive process so ensure that youy make it effective. It is your responsibility to find the right person. This book is a guide to help you in that search.'- From the Introduction.

Recent studies show that one of the most important factors in a successful psychotherapy is the patient's active participation in the selection of his or her therapist. This book is dedicated to the idea that the best patient is a well-informed patient. It describes the variety of therapies available today, and guides the consumer in making informed decisions, including whether or not therapy is necessary. Other essential issues discussed are the role of medication in therapy, how to judge the competence of a therapist, and how to decide if your therapy is working.