Counselling Tips: How to Find a Counsellor

Often the decision that you need to have some counselling can be a difficult one to make. You may have spent a long time trying to make things work for you in your life. Something very painful may have happened. Or you may have become depressed and anxious and feel you can't go on without professional help.So now that you have made that decision how do you go about finding the right person who will be able to help? The following are some tips to help guide you through the process.

1. Asking for recommendations - Perhaps the most preferred way to find someone who is good is to ask for a recommendation from friends, family or your doctor. A recommendation like that means that you already know that the counsellor has helped someone who you trust, hence they should be able to help you, right? This might be the case, however the counsellor may not be able to take you on; their fees may be too high; or when you meet you don't click or feel ok with them. So in that situation where do you go next?

2. Searching online - The next thing you try is to search online. If you search for say "counselling services" you will end up with a number of counsellor's websites to choose from. The thing to do here is to read through their website and see if the style of it appeals to you.

Do you think that you would feel ok talking to this person? What experience do they have? Does it cover areas that a relevant to you? What are their qualifications? Are they accredited by the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) or on the United Kingdom Register or Counsellors and Psychotherapists (UKRCP)?

3. Searching counselling directories - There are a number of online counselling directories. Perhaps the best known one is the BACP's. This gives you the advantage of being able to put in your postcode and it will produce a list of counsellors that are in your area. If you wanted to be seen near your place of work, use that postcode. You can then look to see which counsellors you think might be helpful.

4. Ring them up - Once you have made this list of counsellor, either from searching Google or from an online directory give them all a ring. Some may not have any availability or have a waiting list. Some you may not feel comfortable talking to on the phone. Ask them about where they practice, what their fees are etc. Tell them as much about your situation as you feel comfortable telling a stranger over the phone. Try to see if you feel they are trustworthy.

5. Go and see - Once you have narrowed it down to one or two go and have a first appointment with them. Even if this costs you it will be of benefit to see which one you feel most comfortable talking to. In that first session see if they really listen to you, do they have useful suggestions or insights?

These are a few tips that should help you find the right person for you to work with. Remember that regardless of someone's fees, qualifications, experience or results they promise the most important thing is that you feel that you can trust the person, after all it is you who has to open up to them.


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Tim Moorhouse is an experienced BACP accredited counsellor offering counselling in Manchester and counselling service in Manchester.