A therapist who gets you.

The right fit.

Finding a therapist who feels like the right fit for you is SO important. Not just for personal comfort (which is vital, don’t get me wrong), but for the therapeutic process as well.

See, therapy depends on something called the “therapeutic relationship”, which is the foundation for therapy to be effective. I have personally read multiple academic, peer-reviewed articles that describe the importance of the therapeutic relationship within therapy (here’s a few on Science Direct). Ultimately, the articles discuss, that to have an effective therapeutic relationship, there needs to be a sense of trust between the therapist and the client, a sense of respect, and the therapist should be working to instill a sense of hope for the future. These three elements, trust, respect, and hope, can allow for a unique connection where you feel seen and understood by someone outside of yourself - maybe even for the first time.

So, what does all this mean? Essentially, it means that to see significant improvements in therapy, you have to find the right therapist, one who can build a helpful, positive therapeutic alliance with you. Now, does this mean that every session is sunshine, butterflies, and rainbows? Of course not. However, your therapist should seem like they are interested in you, want to understand your perspective, and can reflect back what you’re sharing and feeling. In other words, they should “get you”.

Unfortunately, every therapist is not a perfect fit for every client - and that’s okay! Each therapist has their own unique strengths and brings their full selves to the therapy room. What I ultimately want my own clients to know is that I want to grow with them and understand them in their thoughts, feelings, and perspectives. Sometimes, I’ll challenge those negative thought patterns, or try to better comprehend what those different inner parts are trying to do for us (I believe each part of you has good intentions!). Sometimes, I’ll reflect back what a partner is saying during couples therapy and it doesn’t always “sit right” with the other partner, but honestly, I try to ensure I have a balanced perspective of what the pattern (or cycle) is within the relationship, so I’ll always ensure both partners have a chance to share their feelings. Sometimes, it might even feel like the therapeutic relationship is “strained” during those challenging moments, but know that therapists like myself want to address the tension in the room and want to let you know that it’s always okay to share when something I’ve said didn’t “land” well with you.

So that means, even if the therapeutic relationship becomes difficult at times, the right therapist will want to repair those small rifts and ensure that they can continue to help you make progress in the future. The right therapist is worth finding so that you can grow and learn more about yourself in the process. The right therapist is out there, waiting to support you, it’s just a matter of finding them.

If you’re looking for a therapist who is interested in you, your story, your thoughts, your feelings…. reach out. If you’re looking for a therapist in Arizona, I’m here to listen. Please don’t hesitate to ask for support. You are worth the time and investment of therapy.