Choosing an addiction counsellor can be difficult and even daunting. After all, you will be sharing all your innermost thoughts with this person and they’re also going to play a big part in your journey to recovery.
If you’re struggling to come to a decision, below are five great tips to help you choose an addiction counsellor.
Expertise
Counsellors often specialize in a particular field and it’s a good idea to choose someone who is trained and experienced in the area you need help with. In this incidence you’re going to need addiction therapy with someone who is experienced in addiction counselling.
If you can find a professional who is trained in your specific addiction, this is even better. If you’re struggling with sex addict for example, someone who is trained in this particular area will be able to help you a lot more than someone who is generally trained in addiction.
Credentials
Chances are that when you’re looking for an addiction counsellor, you’re going to head straight to the Internet. Because people can say anything to make themselves sound good on a website, one of the first things you should do is check the person’s credentials.
Are they who they say they are? Do they have the associated degree of the professional discipline you’re looking for? It’s also very important to note that the professional you go to should be licensed and the license must be up to date and clearly indicated on their website or profile listing.
Don’t be afraid to ask about this before you make your choice, a good counsellor knows that it’s important to clarify this before you commit to anything.
Recommendations
We often look on the Internet for reviews of products and services before we make a decision. While you can do this for an addiction counsellor, because of the confidential nature of this profession, it can prove to be tricky to find feedback about the person you’re looking for.
There are a number of ways you can obtain recommendations for an addiction therapy professional however. You can ask friends and family if they know of anyone or your doctor may be able to provide you with names of professionals they’ve recommended to patients in the past.
Set up an initial consultation
As well as choosing a counsellor with the right qualifications and expertise, it’s key that you have a good rapport with this person as well. You will be talking to them about your most personal feelings and there’s a strong likelihood that you will become emotional from time to time so you need to feel comfortable around them.
Use your first session to decide whether or not this is someone you think you can build a trusting relationship with, who you have a connection with and who you feel can successfully lead you on your journey to recovery.
If you think that you or someone you know could benefit from addiction counselling, please feel free to contact Toronto Trauma and Addiction Counselling for more information about the signs, symptoms and different treatments that are available.
