5 Qualities To Look For In A Counselor

You’ve decided that you want to see a counselor, but you’re overwhelmed by the options. It probably goes without saying that finding the right counselor is an important part of your counseling experience. Most counselor bios you’ll find online are full of information that, generally speaking, won’t matter much to you (work history, educational background, type of licensure, theoretical frameworks, etc.).

So what should you look for when searching for a counselor? Here are a few of our suggestions…

1. You want your counselor to be a good listener and ask good questions.

A good counselor will do everything they can to understand your world and the challenges you’ve been experiencing. This, of course, requires good listening. You’ll want your counselor to be attentive and engaged while you’re speaking, and to remember important information you’ve shared in previous sessions. Also, keep in mind that a good question can be far more valuable to you than a good piece of advice. The best counselors are able to ask questions in a way that brings their clients insight and clarity into the difficulties they’re experiencing, as well as the changes they’d like to make.

2. You want your counselor to have the right specialization.

Which university your counselor attended might not matter much, but a unique specialization might. If you’re having frequent conflict with your spouse, you’ll probably want to find a marriage counselor. If you’re looking for a counselor for your child, you’ll probably want to find someone who works with youth. If you’re struggling to control your alcohol consumption, you’ll probably want to find a substance abuse counselor.

3. You want your counselor to be knowledgeable.

This might be difficult to discern in your first few sessions, but a good counselor should have an interest in topics that pertain to the counseling profession. This doesn’t necessarily mean that your counselor is constantly up-to-date on every new study or article, but it does mean that your counselor is invested in his/her professional growth and development, and seems to have a general understanding of psychology/counseling principles.

4. You want your counselor to be easy to talk to.

A good counselor will work hard to create a warm, judgment-free environment for their clients. It might take a few sessions for you and your counselor to strike the right conversational rhythm, but you’ll want to get to a point where you feel comfortable and at-ease talking to your counselor.

5. You want your counselor to be the right fit.

The reality is that the right counselor for you might not be the right counselor for someone else. It’s not necessarily an indictment on you, or your counselor, if your counseling relationship doesn’t feel right. The good news is that most counselors are typically open to feedback and are willing to adapt their methods to best meet your needs.

Your decision to seek counseling might end up being one of the best decisions of your life. We hope your counseling experience brings you healing and clarity, and that you and your counselor are able to work together toward that end.