1. THE RIGHT MATCH You need to be comfortable with your therapist. Even if someone is the best therapist, it does not mean that he or she is the best therapeutic match for you.

 

    1. LICENSE A therapist should be licensed by the state or supervised by someone who is a licensed therapist. This does not assure that the therapist is good; it, simply verifies a minimum level of competence.

 

    1. TRAINING The therapist you choose should have some training with the type of issue that you seeing him or her for.

 

    1. EXPERIENCE Ask about the therapist's training and experience.

 

    1. THEORETICAL APPROACH Ask about his or her theoretical approach. Make sure that you are comfortable with the approach.

 

    1. COST Ask about cost. Just because a therapist charges more money, does not mean that they are more skilled. There are some very skilled therapists who do accept health insurances.

 

  1. REPUTATION Ask ask ask! Find out how other mental health professionals regard the therapists skills. Find a mental health referral agency and ask about the therapist's skills. Ask friends or family who they would recommend. Ask the therapist for professional references.