What Factors to Consider When Looking For The Best Melbourne Psychologist For You - It Is Not Just Location!
If you are looking for the best Melbourne psychologist, there are many factors to consider. In this article we explore some important factors that we recommend considering when picking your psychologists. Commonly we find that our clients base their decision on location, or perhaps a quick google search. It is important to consider some other really vital factors to ensure that you find a psychologist that is a good match you in terms of your individual needs and goals in therapy.
The first question on your mind may be, “how does this person know what I am going through?” A good therapist will have experience with a wide range of difficult issues such as depression and anxiety. There is no one size fits all approach to therapy so it's important that you find someone who suits your needs and personality type.
Psychotherapy is not just a series of words: it's an emotional connection between two people. Psychologist Allan Schore (2014) describes psychotherapists as "a partner in mutual exploration." As he says, this process can be difficult to break down into simple steps because the therapist needs to find out what their client wants and combine that with how they are feeling at any given time. The ultimate goal? To help them build up new ways of coping through experiences like dance or talking together about each individual’s past. We thought this was a really interesting explanation of therapy and the therapeutic alliance between the client and therapist.
What factors are important to consider in therapy?
A few well-known factors that have been found to lead to successful therapy include:
- being collaborative,
- teaching skills and giving tangible assignments,
- consistency of the therapist,
- higher number of sessions,
- client's personality.
A few other variables that have been shown in research as important in determining success in therapy with your psychologist include:
- a willingness on behalf of the patient to make change/s;
- how much control the client believe they have over their own lives or their behaviours;
- attachment styles (secure vs insecure);
- cognitive distortions (unhelpful thoughts) such as thought-action fusion which often feels like thoughts cause actions and lead them down a path that makes it difficult not act out those thoughts.
Other considerations when looking at what might contribute to good outcomes from therapy or counselling is whether you're willing share personal information with your psychologist. Often this can result in feeling uncomfortable, however other time by doing so this process helps to create an atmosphere where you feel safe talking.
What is Therapeutic Alliance?
The therapeutic alliance is a powerful form of human connection between the psychologists and their client. The client's perception on how much they trust, respect, are comfortable with, or feel understood by their therapist can have an impactful effect on treatment outcomes.
The bond that develops in therapy--known as the working alliance--can be one of life’s most fulfilling relationships if nurtured properly. Therapists play a vital role in this nurturing process because it begins to develop from day one when they first meet someone new who happens to need help for whatever reason(s).
What factors to consider when selecting a psychologist?
Your mental health is so very important, therefore choosing a psychologist who specialises in the issue you're looking to resolve can make all of the difference. Interestingly though, as we have found above, research shows that the psychologists chosen therapeutic approach is not the most important factor.
Minimal evidence supports treatment superiority for any one psychotherapy over another, therefore it is really important to find a psychologist that encourages trust and comfort.
This is evident, the therapeutic alliance, is the most important factor to be considered with roughly 85% of the psychotherapy outcome purportedly reliant on factors other than specific treatment type. The treatment modality is not the only factor that predicts the positive clinical outcome in therapy.
What is the difference between a psychologist and psychiatrist?
Often psychiatrist work with the psychologist to increase the success of therapy. Psychiatrists are authorised to prescribe medication for their patients, while psychologists and counsellors work on understanding and coping with issues through talk therapy. The therapy sessions that may 50 minutes to 60 minutes, weekly or more frequently depending on the client's needs and individual presentations.
A Psychologists practicing within Australia should also hold full registration and accreditation with organizations such as the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), as well as other state-specific bodies where they live. We also recommend to confirm the psychologists is listed in the registry of psychologists prior to confirming your appointment.
This means that you may consider asking the psychologist or the therapy practice about both credentials and certifications, when considering therapists even if it's not clear what these terms mean - this way there won't be any surprises down the road! You usually find these details are provided in the psychologist's bio on the website, but ask away if you are unable to find this information. At Positive Wellbeing Psychology, our psychologist's bios are easily accessible on our website (click here).
How Positive Wellbeing Psychology can help?
Happiness and restoring balance are the end goals of our professional psychologists at Positive Wellbeing Psychology. Our highly skilled psychologists work around concepts like hope, empathy and self-esteem to increase our wellbeing through pleasant emotions that lead to a more fulfilling life (Schrank & Slade 2007).
Our therapeutic approaches usually incorporate a combination of evidence- based treatments such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT), which provides comprehensive treatment for individuals experiencing emotional distress. If you would like more information or if this sounds like something that could help you achieve your goals, contact us today!
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