LAUREN LABINGER, LMFT
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Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist  #122403
About Me Choosing a Therapist
Who do I work with? What can you see me for? How do we work together?
In Person Therapy Virtual Therapy
Am I right for you? About Me Choosing a Therapist Working Together Who do I work with? What can you see me for? How do we work together? In-Person vs Virtual Therapy In Person Therapy Virtual Therapy ResourcesFAQFees & Forms831.244.0394Contact Me
LAUREN LABINGER, LMFT
Individual Psychotherapy & Counseling
Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist  #122403
How Do I Choose the Right Therapist for Me?
How Do I Choose the Right Therapist for Me?

How Do I Choose the Right Therapist for Me?

Ask friends and family. Sometimes, someone you know already has experience with a good therapist. Ask what they liked about them, and what they didn’t.

Call a local resource. Many local institutions can provide suggestions and recommendations to you from lists they have created. Colleges, universities, counseling or career centers and local physicians may have suggestions for you.

Shop online & do your research. A Google search for local therapists is often a good start. You can view websites, testimonials, reviews, and see how you feel about your first impressions of a therapist’s advertising and internet presence. Keep in mind that therapy is confidential and clients don’t often speak publicly about their therapists, so reviews and testimonials aren’t always available and this isn’t necessarily a negative. Is it important to you for them to have a functioning, current website? How much about a therapist do you want to know in advance? Have they made it easy to set up an appointment, or contact them for more information?

Theoretical Orientation. Many therapists will provide information for the approaches they use, and many therapists use different methods. You may be attracted to certain approaches, and uncomfortable with others – take a look around and see if you are drawn to certain philosophies or theories.

Gender. Many individuals have a preference for the gender of their therapist. Take this preference into account – it could be important for your treatment and progress.

Pay attention to how you feel. Your first impression of a therapist, even if it’s just their website, should be a positive one. You will hopefully be able to choose a clinician who is welcoming, communicative, easy to reach and who provides clear information about their background, qualifications, and approaches to therapy.

https://www.estherperel.com/blog/how-to-find-the-right-therapist-for-you

How Do I Know If I Have A Good Therapist?

How Do I Know If I Have A Good Therapist?

During a session with a therapist, consider some of the following questions:

Do you feel safe?

Do you feel not only listened to, but heard?

Do you feel supported?

Do you feel comfortable? And if not, has your therapist made it a safe space to explore your discomfort?

Do you feel like your therapist understands the reasons you’ve come to therapy?

Do you feel like you’re making progress?

Do you feel like your therapist can understand what you have been through?

How do you feel when a therapy session is over?

What are the Red Flags?

What are the Red Flags?

When you express a thought or emotion, do you feel judged?

Do you feel like you have to edit what you say to your therapist?

Do you feel like information you share in therapy isn’t private or confidential?

Does your therapist offer you advice or suggest what you should do outside of session to solve problems? What happens if you don’t follow their suggestions?

If a therapist gave you a diagnosis, did you understand the diagnosis you were given?

How do you feel when a therapy session is over? Are are you considering not returning for your next session? If so, is that something you feel like you can bring up with your therapist?

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How Do I Choose the Right Therapist for Me?
How Do I Know If I Have A Good Therapist?
What are the Red Flags?

Individual Psychotherapy & Counseling Services in Santa Cruz and throughout California

Therapy & Counseling in Santa Cruz & San Jose
Hours

Change is always possible. 

Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist  #122403

lauren@laurenlabinger.com

831.244.0394

340 Soquel Avenue,
Suite 209
Santa Cruz CA 95062

This practice strives to provide an intersectional, inclusive space. Seeking therapy can be a vulnerable process, and historically this process has been compounded by neglect and abuse towards communities and individuals with marginalized identities.

Each individual deserves equitable access to culturally responsive, anti-racist, social-justice oriented, identity-affirming mental healthcare.

 
 
 
 
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All content copyright Lauren Labinger 2017