How To Find The Right Female Therapist For You In Nashville
While many clients have no preference, we frequently receive inquiries from individuals specifically seeking a female therapist. Our clients represent a variety of backgrounds, from gender and age to ethnicity and sexual orientation. Our therapists are also diverse. At the end of the day, no matter who you are, success in counseling is directly tied to your relationship with your therapist. Comfort is an important factor in this relationship and for one reason or another, some individuals just may feel more comfortable working with a female provider.
However, finding a female therapist who is the right fit can be challenging for someone new to therapy. While word of mouth referrals are a great way to find a qualified female therapist, doing your own research online is not only convenient and quick, but it can often give you just the information you need to find a good match.
Before you look for a female counselor in Nashville, we recommend that you ask yourself the following questions:
What are the Therapist or Counselor’s Specialties & Areas of Interest?
If you have a specific issue, such as anxiety and a history of trauma, you’ll clearly want to select a counselor who is interested in working with anxiety and trauma. While some therapists consider themselves generalists, many gravitate toward clients with similar challenges. Does the health care provider you are considering seem like a match as it relates to your specific situation?
How relevant is the therapist’s experience, education, certifications and licenses to your particular situation and needs?
For example, one of my specialties is the treatment of anxiety in young adults and career professionals, so someone struggling in this way would want to seek out a practitioner whose area of expertise matches what they are struggling with. Just like in any profession, most counselors are not an expert in all areas. Most importantly, make sure that the practitioner is licensed, has had proper training and supervision. This is something you can look up online. Or if you are wondering if your therapist is board certified, you can look up the various board websites, such as the National Board of Certified Counselors.
Location, location, location…is the psychology office convenient to your home or work?
While some clients have the time to drive across town and back, many are on tight schedules. While you certainly don’t want to base your selection of female therapists solely on location, it’s important to be realistic. Logistically, you want to set yourself up for a successful ongoing relationship and distance can be a very real barrier.
When is the counselor typically available? How responsive is the therapist when you call to make an appointment?
If you are only free on weekends and the prospective therapist isn’t, it’s definitely not a match. Also, if you are in need of an appointment right away and the counselor isn’t available for a month, you might want to look elsewhere. Also, if the provider doesn’t return your call within a reasonable amount of time when making the appointment, it could potentially be indicative of future behavior.
Does it feel like a fit?
When you meet the therapist, how comfortable do you feel? It’s really important that you feel heard, seen and understood. It’s normal to feel a little nervous, but if you are very uncomfortable by the end of the session, you may want to reconsider. This is the most important consideration in my opinion.
If you have any questions about therapy in general or a specific question about the services we offer, please feel free to reach out to us at clientcare@nashvillepsych.com or (615) 582-2882.
