# A guide on how to choose a good psychologist > Deciding to see a psychologist is not easy. Recognizing that we have a problem and that, on top of that, we are unable to overcome it without help is not... - **Author:** mireia-navarro-vera · **Category:** Adultos - **Published:** 2015-09-18 · **Updated:** 2020-06-13 - **URL:** https://elteuespai.com/en/how-to-choose-a-good-psychologist/ - _Translation pending clinical review._ --- ## How to choose a good psychologist? Deciding to see a psychologist is not easy. Recognizing that we have a problem and that, on top of that, we are unable to overcome it without help is not a simple process. But once we have overcome it and decide to go to therapy, we still have another barrier to overcome: that of **choosing a good psychologist.** If there is someone who knows someone who went to one who did well, we will probably go to that one, without looking any further; **word of mouth in this profession is very common**. But if we don't know anyone, we will sit down in front of Mr. Google and type "psychologist in (our province)". But now, of all the ones that come up, which one do we choose? **How do we tell a good psychologist from one who isn't?** To help you in that search, I am going to describe what, from my point of view, is important when making a decision. ## The 10 essential characteristics of a good psychologist ### That they are a psychologist: Although this statement seems obvious, you must make sure they are: **you must make sure they hold a degree (licenciado or graduado) in Psychology**. Check that they are registered with the Official Association of their province. If you search the website of the [official Association of Psychologists](https://www.cop.es/index.php) by first and last name, **the person's registration number** comes up. This **guarantees their training**. These are data that anyone can access. To begin with, you should be suspicious of someone who does not put their registration number in a visible place on their website. In these cases, I would tell you to always do this check before putting yourself in their hands. ### That they are specialized: It is advisable that they have more specialized training (master's or postgraduate degree) or refresher courses in new techniques. Continuing education in this profession is essential. You should check whether they have **specific training for the treatment of your problem,** for example that they are specialized in [**couples therapy**](/tratamientos/terapia-pareja/) if your problem is relational or in [**forensic psychology**](/tratamientos/) if what you need is advice on a custody matter or burn-out,... It is also important that they are specialized in [**child psychology**](/tratamientos/terapia-infantil/) if the one you are taking to therapy is your child. Currently, to practice as a psychologist in a private Center you must hold the qualification of **General Health Psychologist** (article 2 of Law 44/2003, of November 21). That is, apart from holding a degree in psychology, you must be recognized as an expert by the **department of health**. This recognition guarantees **specialization in clinical psychology** and therefore assures you that the psychologist has the necessary training and experience. ### Experience: You can find this out from the **registration number**; the lower the number, the more years the person has been registered. Normally, a psychologist registers when they start practicing because it is mandatory to register with the association to begin your professional activity as a psychologist. Therefore, it is logical to register when you have work, neither before, because you will pay a fee when you don't need it, nor after, because you are taking a risk. Another way to find out the years of experience is to dig a little into their CV, their LinkedIn profile, etc… ### Therapeutic relationship: ![What the patient-therapist relationship should be like](/images/blog/2015/09/relacion-terapeutica.webp)It is the relationship established between the psychologist and you. It should be a **relationship between professional and patient**, it should not be a friendship, nor too close, but it has to make you feel confident enough to explain without misgivings everything that is happening to you. A psychologist must have **empathy**, that is, be able to put themselves in your place and truly understand what you feel and what you think. It is that **feeling of "at last someone understands what is happening to me"**, and this happens above all when they ask you questions that hit the nail on the head and you think "yes, that's exactly how I feel". If your psychologist doesn't make you feel this way, it will be a handicap for the treatment. ### That you don't feel judged: In order to talk about what is happening to you without feeling bad about it, it is necessary that the person in front of you does not judge you. **A good psychologist should not do so**. We are not here to judge your behaviors; our job is to evaluate them, determine whether or not they are part of a disorder, and decide what treatment will help you. Sometimes my patients begin their sentences with: "I'm even embarrassed to tell you because you'll think…." And I always say the same thing: "I am not here to judge you, I am here to help you, and for that I need you to explain everything to me without fears or prejudices". No one better than a psychologist to be able to **understand any type of behavior**, no matter how strange, that **is precisely our job**, to explain why certain behaviors occur in certain contexts and in certain disorders. A **climate of trust** must be created in which it is easy for you to **talk without feeling judged**. ### That they give you a diagnosis: The first sessions are for **evaluation** (between 3 and 5 sessions). After this initial phase, **the psychologist should give you a clear diagnosis** of what is happening to you. It is important that they explain it well, in a way that you understand. It is important that they describe well what is happening to you. If it is a disorder, that they explain to you what it consists of and what prognosis it has. Sometimes there is no clear diagnosis and what is done is a **diagnostic hypothesis or a functional diagnosis** that is based more on the factors that are maintaining the problem. In this **evaluation phase** it is likely that they will give you some test; these are diagnostic tools that help determine the presence or absence of a disorder. **The use of psychological tests** is an **indicator of professionalism**. Although they are not always necessary, in most cases they are essential for a good diagnosis. Normally the first visit is a **clinical interview** where the psychologist asks about the history of the problem (when it started, what maintains it), psychopathological antecedents in the family, family history, personal relationships, work, etc… It is an **exhaustive gathering of information** that draws our first hypothesis and makes us determine which tests we are going to administer. Sometimes in this first session you already have the diagnosis and you administer the tests to corroborate it and to make sure there is nothing else that could be explaining the diagnosis. But other times, the diagnosis is not so simple and you may need up to 5 sessions to determine it. ### That they offer you a treatment: Once the diagnosis has been made, the psychologist must explain to you what is going to be done from now on, that is, **what the treatment consists of, the approximate duration** and **the prognosis**. It is good for them to explain to you what is going to be done in the following sessions. That it not be a mystery. They must **give you all the information** about the type of **therapy** they are going to carry out and in approximately how many sessions it will be done. If they don't explain, ask; you have the right to know what is going to be done from now on and what you can expect from this treatment. #### How do I know that the treatment they offer me is the right one? The first thing you should keep in mind is **the duration and frequency of the sessions**. The most common is that they are sessions of approximately **one hour** in duration and **once a week**. There are not enough studies that support that increasing the number of weekly sessions increases the effectiveness of the treatment, that is, there is no evidence that increasing the number of weekly sessions shortens the treatment time. On the other hand, doing them once a week gives you the possibility of **putting into practice what is discussed in the consultation and of carrying out the tasks** that the psychologist prescribes. We must bear in mind that everything that is worked on in therapy must be applied to life, therefore, **the work is also outside the consultation**. Lastly, but no less importantly, is the **duration of the treatment**. This will depend a great deal on the disorder. There are many studies, there are even very structured treatment programs, with the number of sessions and what should be done in each one. From all this information, we can deduce that treatments **usually last an average of 20 sessions**. But we must not forget that each individual progresses at a different pace and, in addition, we may come across cases diagnosed with two different disorders, which makes the therapeutic process much more difficult. ### Psychological treatment should not consist solely and exclusively of talking: Although most of the session is dedicated to talking, the psychologist **must teach you techniques** for you to put into practice at home. It is common for them to give you **"homework"** that you will have to do between one session and the next. They have to help you face your problems in an effective way, whatever type they may be, **empowering you so that you control your symptoms**. We must take into account that in the first sessions there is an improvement just from the fact of talking about your problem. **Verbalizing what is happening to you is therapeutic** because it helps you process it in a more adequate way. But this improvement will not last over time if it is not worked on more deeply in the following sessions. Therefore, in the first sessions, talking will be the core, but afterwards the psychologist will begin **to make you work to achieve the changes**. **The psychologist does not have a magic wand** and producing lasting changes **requires an effort on your part**. ### Will a good psychologist tell me what I should and should not do? ![How a good psychologist will help me choose the right option](/images/blog/2015/09/un-buen-psicologo-me-dira-que-debo-de-hacer.webp)As a general rule, no. A good therapist will not tell you what you should do or what you should not do; they will offer you the tools you need, teach you to use them correctly, and **help you make your own decisions** but with a new perspective different from the one you had, more realistic and organized. On occasion, people have come to the consultation to ask me whether or not they should get divorced. This decision should not be made by the psychologist, but what they can do is use techniques such as the clarification of feelings or problem-solving to empower the person to make that decision from a more realistic and calm basis. On occasion, the patient comes too distressed to make any kind of decision; in these cases the therapist will guide the person until they can decide for themselves and will clearly guide their steps. ### Clinical sessions, teamwork: And lastly, I am left to **praise teamwork**. Psychology is very broad and varied. Each person is a world, even if they share the same diagnostic label with another. Therefore, what works in one case may not work for you in another. Sometimes, involvement means that you don't see things clearly and you need **the point of view of another professional**. Although a psychologist can work alone in their consultation, there will be occasions when they need a second opinion. This is where **teamwork enriches the therapist**. Presenting certain cases to other professionals and working on the possible diagnoses or treatments will help the psychologist be more effective. In **Psychology Centers where several professionals work** these sessions are possible and **cooperation between professionals is an added value.** For psychologists who work in the solitude of their consultation, there is the possibility of having another professional supervise your cases. You can hire these services on a one-off basis. In fact, in our own clinical team sessions, we occasionally invite a professional who is an expert in something very specific to supervise the work we have done. ![a good psychologist will hold clinical sessions to obtain a better diagnosis for the patient](/images/blog/2015/09/sesiones-clinicas-300x200.webp) ### Conclusions Before the price, you should look at these indicators. **A good psychologist can achieve changes in few sessions, thus saving you a lot of money on endless therapies**. The price per session is important, but if the person in front of you is a good professional, they can carry out the treatment in less time than a less experienced person. As you will be able to see, I have not added any point about **the type of therapy they use**. In psychology there are different types of therapy: **cognitive-behavioral**, **psychodynamic**, **systemic**, **brief strategic therapy**,…Clinical experience has shown me that if you only use one type of technique, you are limited, because there are people who do not respond well to a certain treatment and you must be able to give them alternatives, which is why I believe that **a good psychologist** should not marry a single modality of therapy; it is necessary **for them to have many tools to be able to use them according to the case**. As I say: "if it works for you, then it's worth it". ### How do I know that the therapy is of quality and works? A quality therapy has to help you **feel better**, **make decisions** in a faster and healthier way, **relate better** to others, **get to know your emotions** and how they influence your life, and **know how to modulate and manage them**. No one better than you to assess whether a therapy works for you or not, no one better than you to know whether you feel comfortable with the psychologist you have chosen and whether it gives you the confidence you need to continue. **Value your improvement**, value how it makes you feel, and **value your changes.** Remember that **a good psychologist will give you the tools** so that you are the one who resolves conflictive situations, will help you **modify those distorted thoughts** or unrealistic ones, will teach you to recognize and modulate your emotions, **will foster your self-esteem and your autonomy**, and will help you remove the barriers that prevent you from **developing your potential.** They will seek the best version of yourself.![Be the best version of yourself](/images/blog/2015/04/como-dejar-de-quejarse.webp) If you think that our Center brings together the qualities of a good psychologist,[ contact us](/en/contact/).