Starting therapy, whether it is the first time or with someone new, can be a daunting process. It is really normal to find it difficult to open up to someone and to start building trust. It is also really normal to have doubts and worries about whether therapy will actually help.
There are many different factors that contribute to the success of therapy. These could include things like the willingness of the person seeking therapy to attend the sessions and to share, the severity and frequency of the problem/s being discussed, and the skill level of the clinician. But one single factor, more than all of the others, has consistently been found to be the largest predictor of the success of treatment.
This factor is: the relationship between the therapist and the person seeking therapy.
We call this the “therapeutic relationship”, and the strength of this relationship is one of the most important aspects of the therapy process.
The experts tell us that there are three essential ingredients to a good therapeutic relationship:
Mutual trust, caring, and respect
Agreement on the goals of therapy
Collaboration on the tasks of treatment
In addition to this, a good therapeutic relationship also allows for freedom to share any negative emotional responses with each other and the space to correct any difficulties that may arise in the relationship.
Since the relationship you have with your Psychologist is so crucial to treatment success, it is crucial to find the right Psychologist for you. Keep in mind that this does not necessarily mean it will be the first Psychologist you meet with, or the one with the most years of experience.
The most important thing to look out for initially is that you are feeling comfortable and that you are receiving feedback that makes you feel like you are understood and on the right track. If you do find that you’re feeling that you’re not getting anywhere after a few sessions, it can be helpful to express this with your Psychologist and try to work on this together. However, at the end of the day, you never have to feel like you are stuck with a particular Psychologist, and if you are feeling that it’s not the right fit, it is absolutely okay to keep searching. While it can be hard to start over with someone new, remember that a strong relationship with your Psychologist is going to be the most important ingredient in the recipe for successful therapy.