How to choose a therapist
The evidence is consistent: the relationship predicts outcome more strongly than the modality. So choose for fit — but verify the credentials first.
Verify before you book
Search the therapist's name on the BACP, NCPS, GHR or EMDR Association register directly. Do not rely on a logo on a website; registers are public and take a minute to check.
- Registered with a recognised professional body
- In regular clinical supervision
- Insured and DBS-checked where relevant
- Specific training in what you are bringing
Questions worth asking on the call
Have you worked with this before? What would the plan look like? Roughly how many sessions? How will we know if it is not working? What happens if I want to stop? Straight answers are a good sign.
Red flags
Guaranteed cures, pressure to buy blocks upfront, vagueness about training, discouraging you from seeing your GP, or any suggestion that doubting the process proves you need more of it.
Common questions
What if I do not click with them?+
Say so and change. A good therapist will support that; it is not rude and it does not waste the work.
Does gender matter?+
For some people, especially after abuse, it matters a great deal. That is a legitimate criterion, not a preference to justify.
How soon should I feel progress?+
Feeling understood should happen within a session or two. Symptom change takes longer and should be reviewed at an agreed point.
Check the register, then have the call
A free fifteen-minute conversation is the best fit test there is.