La Dolce Vita Series: A Roadmap to starting your Therapy Journey 1
Episode 1 Where do you start? When you have a life issue that you need help with, finding a therapist that is a good fit is a crucial step in creating your own La Dolce Vita – the Sweet Life. A good therapist can provide you with the support, guidance and tools you need to improve your life and wellbeing. However, with so many different types of therapy and therapists available, it can be difficult to know where to start. Here are some tips: Take a moment to consider why therapy and why now Before starting your search for a therapist it’s worthwhile taking a moment to consider what you want to achieve through therapy. Asking some of the following questions can help to clarify your ideas: · Are you looking to address a specific issue, such as anxiety, insomnia, depression or a relationship problem? · Are you seeking help for ways to handle professional/workplace issues such as public speaking or work interviews? · Do you have a goal that you need support achieving? · What outcome are you hoping for? · What are your expectations of a therapist and the process? · What do you think a therapist’s role is? · What skills do you think you need help developing? · Do you have the energy, time and finances to commit to the process? · Are you willing to attend regular sessions? · Are you able to invest energy in developing skills outside sessions? Psychotherapist Esther Perel gives advice in her blog to ‘go for the most experienced person you can afford’. This is key advice as therapists’ experience and training is not all equal and being in a safe and experienced set of hands is key to having confidence in the process and achieving the change you are looking for. After working through these questions, hopefully you will have clarity about what you need from your therapy journey. The next episode will help you narrow down your search for your therapist…. Author Bio Paula Hamilton is a Psychotherapist and Hypnotherapist with over a decade of experience in private practice. She has a Diploma in Clinical Hypnosis & Strategic Psychotherapy and a Diploma in Applied Clinical Hypnotherapy (Dip.C.H.t.). She is a Senior Practitioner with the General Hypnotherapy Register (G.H.R. Reg.) and holds the Senior Qualification in Hypnotherapy Practice (S.Q.H.P.). Paula is also an Acknowledged Supervisor with the General Hypnotherapy Register, providing one to one supervision for other therapists. She is registered with the Complementary & Natural Healthcare Council (C.N.H.C.) for Hypnotherapy.