I thought it might be a bit easier to just put these two parts together. If you follow @chatterboxcounseling on Instagram or Facebook, then you may have already seen both of these, if so, you're in luck! This post will expand on that. If you haven't, you're still in luck! You get all the info at once! So, for those you who have not seen the IG posts, basically part one talked about the traits you WANT a therapist to have, while part two listed red flags to AVOID. Unfortunately, some of these reds flags aren't readily noticeable until after you have begun to work with your therapist. Please remember you can ALWAYS end the therapeutic relationship if this is the case. The goal is to ensure you are receiving the best possible care. So, let's dive in!
Traits of a Good Therapist:
1. Professional
2. Ethical
3. Competent
4. Supportive
5. Empathetic
6. Attentive
7. Informative
The Red Flags:
1. Unethical
2. Incompetent
3. Unprofessional
4. Critical
5. Inappropriate
6. Defensive
7. Impose beliefs
8. Insensitive
9. Too Pushy
10. Inattentive
Please keep in mind that these are only a few characteristics of good traits and red flags and your decision making should not be limited to these alone. You want to find someone you feel you can connect with and establish a strong therapeutic foundation. The therapist should NOT be offering advice to you or telling you how to solve problems, instead, they should create a safe space where you can explore your thoughts, feelings, actions, and past experiences for insight on how to effectively cope or move forward. You want someone who is supportive but also challenging.
In terms of the red flags, they all go hand-in-hand. For example, a counselor behaving inappropriately with you is both unethical and unprofessional. So there are very little degrees of separation between these warning signs. It is one thing for a counselor to challenge your thoughts about specific things, but they should NEVER try to impost their beliefs on you. In other words, if you believe in same sex marriage they should not give you a dissertation as to why it is "wrong". This is unethical, inappropriate, and unprofessional. Likewise, there have been several debates as to whether clinicians should refer clients to other professionals (in this case therapists) if they have biases or opposing view points regarding client beliefs, values, etc. Ideally, therapists should consult with colleagues or supervisor regarding this and continue working with the client, as therapy is not about the therapist, it is about the client. Again, this varies--also, this is a whole other topic for another day! You should also not have an outside relationship with your therapist. You should not have your therapy session and then go out to lunch with therapist. You should not have ANY form of a sexual relationship with your therapist. If you are in this situation or your therapist is being inappropriate with you in this way, you should report them to their state licensing board! This behavior is not only considered, unethical and unprofessional, but it is also a violation of appropriate boundaries. Again, this is a whole other topic in and of itself, so please comment below if you want a more detailed post about this! You also want a therapist who knows what they are doing! Think about it, would you want a dentist performing open heart surgery on you? Ok, so maybe in the realm of therapy/mental health, it isn't THAT dramatic, but, nonetheless, you still want an experienced professional in the services they are providing. Here are the considerations:
1. What is their level of education?
2. Are they licensed or credentialed?
3. Did they receive adequate training?
4. How much experience do they have?
5 Did they specialize in this area?
Please note that there are basic services and therapy modalities that all mental health professionals are knowledgeable of and have studied in their programs. Some may incorporate several modalities and others may only focus on one in their therapeutic practice. Therapists with certain credentials and/or certifications in various areas have received training and experience and have met specific criteria to be a certified specialist. But to put things in a nutshell, a therapist should not refer to themselves as an art therapist or music therapist if they did not specialize or receive certifications in these areas. They can, however, use techniques or interventions from these practices and incorporate it in your treatment. So there are some pretty black and white aspects to this, but also some gray areas. To put in a nutshell, a plastic surgeon and heart surgeon both went to medical school, and though they share a general knowledge regarding health, wellness, and medications, they are two different specialties. Leave comments if you want more clarification on this!
I hope you all enjoyed this post, please comment if you need clarification on anything or if you have any questions! Also, please let me know what other topics you are interested in learning more about or having discussions on! For updates, self-help tips, inspiration, mental health/substance use related info, like/follow me on Facebook and Instagram @chatterboxcounseling, or follow these links:
https://www.instagram.com/chatterboxcounseling/
https://www.facebook.com/chatterboxcounseling/
Talk to ya soon!
Erni
Traits of a Good Therapist:
1. Professional
2. Ethical
3. Competent
4. Supportive
5. Empathetic
6. Attentive
7. Informative
The Red Flags:
1. Unethical
2. Incompetent
3. Unprofessional
4. Critical
5. Inappropriate
6. Defensive
7. Impose beliefs
8. Insensitive
9. Too Pushy
10. Inattentive
Please keep in mind that these are only a few characteristics of good traits and red flags and your decision making should not be limited to these alone. You want to find someone you feel you can connect with and establish a strong therapeutic foundation. The therapist should NOT be offering advice to you or telling you how to solve problems, instead, they should create a safe space where you can explore your thoughts, feelings, actions, and past experiences for insight on how to effectively cope or move forward. You want someone who is supportive but also challenging.
In terms of the red flags, they all go hand-in-hand. For example, a counselor behaving inappropriately with you is both unethical and unprofessional. So there are very little degrees of separation between these warning signs. It is one thing for a counselor to challenge your thoughts about specific things, but they should NEVER try to impost their beliefs on you. In other words, if you believe in same sex marriage they should not give you a dissertation as to why it is "wrong". This is unethical, inappropriate, and unprofessional. Likewise, there have been several debates as to whether clinicians should refer clients to other professionals (in this case therapists) if they have biases or opposing view points regarding client beliefs, values, etc. Ideally, therapists should consult with colleagues or supervisor regarding this and continue working with the client, as therapy is not about the therapist, it is about the client. Again, this varies--also, this is a whole other topic for another day! You should also not have an outside relationship with your therapist. You should not have your therapy session and then go out to lunch with therapist. You should not have ANY form of a sexual relationship with your therapist. If you are in this situation or your therapist is being inappropriate with you in this way, you should report them to their state licensing board! This behavior is not only considered, unethical and unprofessional, but it is also a violation of appropriate boundaries. Again, this is a whole other topic in and of itself, so please comment below if you want a more detailed post about this! You also want a therapist who knows what they are doing! Think about it, would you want a dentist performing open heart surgery on you? Ok, so maybe in the realm of therapy/mental health, it isn't THAT dramatic, but, nonetheless, you still want an experienced professional in the services they are providing. Here are the considerations:
1. What is their level of education?
2. Are they licensed or credentialed?
3. Did they receive adequate training?
4. How much experience do they have?
5 Did they specialize in this area?
Please note that there are basic services and therapy modalities that all mental health professionals are knowledgeable of and have studied in their programs. Some may incorporate several modalities and others may only focus on one in their therapeutic practice. Therapists with certain credentials and/or certifications in various areas have received training and experience and have met specific criteria to be a certified specialist. But to put things in a nutshell, a therapist should not refer to themselves as an art therapist or music therapist if they did not specialize or receive certifications in these areas. They can, however, use techniques or interventions from these practices and incorporate it in your treatment. So there are some pretty black and white aspects to this, but also some gray areas. To put in a nutshell, a plastic surgeon and heart surgeon both went to medical school, and though they share a general knowledge regarding health, wellness, and medications, they are two different specialties. Leave comments if you want more clarification on this!
I hope you all enjoyed this post, please comment if you need clarification on anything or if you have any questions! Also, please let me know what other topics you are interested in learning more about or having discussions on! For updates, self-help tips, inspiration, mental health/substance use related info, like/follow me on Facebook and Instagram @chatterboxcounseling, or follow these links:
https://www.instagram.com/chatterboxcounseling/
https://www.facebook.com/chatterboxcounseling/
Talk to ya soon!
Erni