How to Find the Right Counselor
There are many online sites that provide names and degrees of counselors, as well as the types of counseling they do. There are numerous directories from which to choose these people and they may even supply a picture of themselves as well. If it were easy to tell by a picture or a degree, people would choose a counselor based on looks alone, which is, as you would guess, a very deceptive type of criteria.
The first thing to do is to find a counselor that will meet your needs is to consult with friends, acquaintances (such as your child’s school teacher) or your family physician. Never go to anyone who isn’t specifically recommended to you, unless you absolutely have to.
In which case, it would be advisable to check with your local community help system first, such as a 24 hour hotline for services, preferably for a Mental Health referral.
Sometimes, volunteers working for a Suicide Hotline, for example, know a lot about what types of counseling are available in Vancouver. With a little prodding you may get a referral to one or more of these.
The best thing one can do is to seek out several names, if you’re fortunate enough to get them and try to do a phone interview. A phone interview is easier than you may think. Call and speak to whoever answers the phone and ask that this particular person give you a call back. That’s all.
Try not to divulge information that may exclude you from the person’s call back list such as: Are you a client? What is this in reference to? The best answer to give to any questions would be that you were instructed to speak to that individual personally.
While you are waiting for a call back, do a little research on the type of practice the counselor has. You can look for advertising in the phone book and some local directories have printed lists of counselors and their specialties. You obviously won’t go to a center for children’s counseling, if what you are seeking is marital counseling.
When you do get that call back, ask if you can arrange an introductory meeting for just 15 minutes or so, to see if this kind of help is what you need. If there is any charge, it should be minimal. A good therapist or counselor won’t mind meeting you for a preliminary discussion of what your needs are and the type of counselor you are looking for.
If you are lucky enough to have gotten 2 or more names, so much the better. Do the same thing with each of these prospects. The more counselors in Vancouver from which to choose, the more likely you are to get someone best suited to you. Make sure you get easy directions to the office and ask about parking as well.
When it comes time for your appointment, go a little early, in case there are delays. Relax and observe your gut reaction to this person as they meet you in the waiting room. If it’s favorable, watch for a sign of welcome such as a handshake and an introduction, “Hi, I’m Jane Smith.” If they’ve kept track of their appointments and know your name, “you must be…, that’s a very good sign that a counselor is both professional and caring.
Finally, in the meeting, there are questions you should ask such as, what type of counseling do you do? With what types of therapies is he or she most comfortable with? Start out with pleasantries such as “Have you been Counseling for long?”
This should be an easy conversation on an equal playing field: One adult to another. If you notice an authoritarian attitude or that this person takes over the conversation completely, rule them out. The best counselors are good listeners.
Rule out anyone who gives you a bad vibe or seems to be preoccupied or worse, isn’t paying attention to you. Instincts are a good way to go in this situation, as what you want to accomplish is essentially, finding out if there is a good personality fit between you.
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