If you’re looking for support with your mental health, ‘How to Find a CBT Therapist Near Me’ explores 5 things to consider when you’re searching for a therapist.
1. Online or In-Person Therapy
The first thing to decide is whether you would like to see a therapist in-person at their office, or online. Since Covid, many therapists have continued working online with their clients as it’s more flexible and convenient.
Is In-Person Therapy Better Than Online Therapy?
Interestingly, the research shows that online therapy is just as effective as in-person treatment. So really, the question of online or in-person comes down to your personal preference and what suits your routine.
Perhaps you can combine your appointment with your commute and pop by your therapist’s office before the weekly shop or on the way home from work.
For the time-pushed, online sessions can be a more flexible option with some therapists offering early morning, late evening or even weekend appointments too.
2. What Type of CBT?
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (or CBT as it’s known for short) is a talking therapy focuses on your thoughts, feelings and behaviour and how they influence each other. It’s a team effort and you work with your therapist to explore your problems and achieve your goals.
CBT is an effective, evidence-based treatment and is recommended by NICE (The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) as the first-line treatment for a range of problems including depression, anxiety, phobias and OCD.
CBT is a wide field which encompasses many variations on the same model. Examples include:
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Integrative CBT (I-CBT)
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)
- Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT)
Some of these, such as ACT and MBSR, incorporate mindfulness as a major aspect of the approach. Your therapist may draw on multiple elements such as relaxation, meditation, mindfulness and guided imagery as part of their work with you.
Some therapists also offer additional modalities to enhance treatment such as hypnosis—and these are combined in approaches such as Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapy (Hypno-CBT®). In fact, the research shows that adding hypnosis to CBT actually improves outcomes compared to CBT on its own.
3. Your Therapist’s Qualifications
Because the terms therapist, counsellor, hypnotherapist, and psychotherapist are not legally protected titles, this means that anyone can use them without being officially registered. In this case, it makes sense to double-check your therapist’s claims. If there’s no mention of their qualifications, that’s potentially a red flag.
It’s also worthwhile checking if they have any professional registrations. Therapists will only be admitted to a register if they have the correct training and experience, and are committed to abiding by the accrediting organisation’s Code of Ethics.
When therapists are on a professional register, they are obligated to keep their knowledge and skills up to date by undertaking regular CPD (continuing professional development) and clinical supervision with a more experienced colleague, just like other medical professionals.
You want to be sure that you’re entrusting your mental health to a professional, appropriate qualifications and registrations can be a good indication of adherence to standards and best practice. Professional registers or online directories can be a good place to start your research.
- GHR (General Hypnotherapy Register)
- Hypnotherapy Directory
- NCH (National Council for Hypnotherapists)
- NCIP (National Council of Integrative Psychotherapists)
- BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy)
4. How to Find the Right Fit
The most important thing to bear in mind when you’re looking for a therapist is finding the right fit. You want to feel at ease sharing your problems and talking to them.
We know you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but looking at a potential therapist’s website (or social media channels) will give you a feel for their approach, personality and style to see what resonates with you.
Book a Free Consultation
The best way to see if a therapist could be the right fit for you is to have an initial appointment or call with them. And while, it’s not the same as buying a car, there’s nothing wrong with going for a proverbial test-drive.
Most therapists offer a free call or consultation. This can be anything from 15 to 30 minutes long, usually over the phone or via an online video call. This is a perfect way to find out more about a therapist and their work and to see if you like them.
Be ready to tell the therapist about the issue or problem you’re seeking help with so that they can consider what type of treatment could be most effective for you.
No Pressure
There is absolutely no obligation or commitment at this stage, and there’s no need to make a decision there and then. ‘Thank you. I’ll think about it,’ is a perfectly polite way to end the call.
5. Go With Your Gut
While you’ll build a relationship with your therapist over time, your first impression matters. Whether it’s a consultation call or a first session, you should feel that you are listened to and that all your questions have been answered. Ultimately, you want to have a sense that they care and confidence in their ability to help.
It’s natural to feel a little anxious or apprehensive, especially if you’re starting therapy for the first time, but it’s safe to say that you can trust your gut instinct on this one. Simply ask yourself ‘Is this someone I’d like to work with?’ to know if you’ve found the right therapist to support you on your journey.
References for How to find a CBT therapist near me
Stubbings, D. et al (2013). Comparing In-Person to Videoconference-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Mood and Anxiety Disorders
David D. et al (2018). Why Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Is the Current Gold Standard of Psychotherapy
Ramondo N. et al (2021). Clinical Hypnosis as an Adjunct to Cognitive Behavior Therapy: An Updated Meta-Analysis
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