How to go about getting a therapist?

[mistymirror]

I am wanting to start therapy (privately) and am wondering where do I begin?!
How do I find a therapist? I don't just want to go with the first one I come across on google as I would rather have one recommended but then at the same time I don't know anyone who has private therapy so not sure where to begin!
Any help much appreciated.

What are you looking to change?

Hi @mistymirror
It's very daunting, isn't it?
If you don't have any recommendations from people that you know, (and who does?), your first step should be to go onto the website of the British Association for Counselling and Pyschotherapy, (BACP).
Anyone can set themselves up as a counsellor/therapist, and they come in all shapes and sizes, but to be accredited by the BACP they have to have a recognised qualification. There may be other requirements that I'm not familiar with, but it does seem to be some kind of regulatory body.
On the website, you can find counsellors/therapists within a radius of your choosing, (eg 1/5/10 miles). And some therapists do phone/video consultations.
(Personally I would only want face-to-face).
And then it's a case of seeing what therapists offer which would address your main needs.
And then it seems to me a bit like a dating app! Contacting potential "matches" - decent therapists should offer a free initial phone chat at least.
You can be so vulnerable when seeking a therapist, but you need to try and remember that they need your business - therre are a lot of them!
So don't be afraid to contact several until you find one that hopefully fits.

I'm not sure I'm looking to change anything really just unpack some of my childhood trauma that now seems to leak out into my adult life in the form of anxiety and low self esteem. I feel very 'heavy' recently and think that speaking to someone qualified could really help me.

Thank you so much for this information @Cesarina, it is very helpful!

I found a practice that acts as a hub for a lot of therapists. When I called, I was asked to give an outline of what I wanted help with and whether I had a preference for a male or female therapist. I had to wait a couple of weeks until they matched me with someone they felt would suit me, and they did get it right. My therapist helped me originally with a specific issue and is now working with me on something else. She's good.

That sounds very positive! Do you see your therapist in person or is it online?

The BACP register is an excellent place to start or the HCPC register for Clinical Psychologists. Anyone off either of those has to have completed professional training: CPs have more extensive training but will be more expensive. For BACP practitioner they will often have interests/ training in specific areas so that is worth exploring with them to find the right fit.

Definitely BACP.

So I guess you’d like to change your feelings of anxiety and low self esteem. Knowing where you want to be at the end of the process is key, otherwise how do you measure the progress?

@mistymirror in person, always. I wouldn't like online though she does offer it.

Can you get a recommendation from your GP?

There's isn't always about change! It can be about self acceptance, understanding or growth or many other things. As well as BACP there is UKCP which is for psychotherapy. Not always a clear distinction in what you get but UKCP qualification is very rigorous and at post-grad level and they have had to do much more of their own therapy which I think matters. Depending on where you are it might be worth using the find a therapist function in both websites for an initial trawl.

@Objectrelations But aren't self acceptance, understanding and growth all results of change?

@Eyesopenwideawake
I guess so on some level it is change - where I was coming from is many go to therapy with shame about who they are and that they need to be different to be ok

@Objectrelations - yeah, that makes sense. Therapy is about understanding why you think the way you do - it's all about education. Even if you don't need to be different there is a 'change' involved in accepting who you are and being happy with that.