How do I decide if I need a therapist or not?
Now you would expect me to say ‘YES’ to that. After all, it’s what I do.But, what really matters is what YOU need, so here are the pros and cons (as I see them). I am assuming at this point you are not looking for a physical therapy such as massage or physiotherapy.
First questions to ask would be questions such as: ‘Is this affecting my life? Is it affecting my work? Does it have a significant impact on my mood? Have I had this for some time? Is it getting worse? Can the NHS help with this without me needing to take pills?’
If you have several ‘Yes’ answers to these questions, you may decide to start looking for help.
So what are the pros?
- You will be seen quickly, unfortunately there tends to be a waiting list for NHS therapy.
- You have a huge range of therapies to choose from, and this is good because not all therapies suit everybody.
- There may well be a therapy out there that doesn’t just help you, the right therapy can be transformational.
- Private therapists depend on our reputation. We will always do the best we can for you.
- Alternative/complementary therapies usually allow the therapist to be flexible in their approach and sometimes we may take unusual but effective roads to help you on your recovery. Standard therapies tend to have a set process that can’t be deviated from.
How about the cons?
- They will cost you. But what value do you put on your mind? It’s amazing how little value people put on it. Costs can vary enormously and price can usually reflect competency, but not always. Be careful of any therapy that insists on you returning week after week. A good therapist will want to see you sorted out and on your way as soon as is proper.
- What is an average cost? There isn’t one unfortunately. All costs depend on each individual case. My average hourly rate is £65, and I see clients for anything from one to ten sessions. The average for a complex problem is about 6 hours. A counsellor may well be cheaper, but progress can be slower.
- The choice is enormous both in therapists and therapies. The answer is RESEARCH. Don’t forget, you are spending your money, you want value for it. Sometimes you need to match the therapy to your personality. So if for example you are a logical person, then a talking style therapy such as NLP or Counselling may be the answer. If you are a spiritual person then you may go for EFT, Reiki and other energy therapies.
- Some therapists may have excellent qualifications and have studied hard. Other therapists may have done all their training online and passed courses with a minimum of effort required. So ASK questions of your therapist. ASK where they studied and if they have insurance. Go with your gut feeling. If it says NO, then look elsewhere.
But here is the real question. Do I need a therapist at all?
There is no doubt that people can learn to live with all sorts of conditions, and can even find their own solution. That is undeniable. But it can be a long and painful road, if a better road can be found, logically that would be the least painful. The financial cost is fleeting, money comes and goes. Your mental health is way more important.