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4. The therapist should also give you practical advice and things to think about that you can take home and work on between sessions. Before you choose a therapist you should interview them. Talk to them over the phone before you set up an appointment. Discuss the issues I raised earlier. By using the above suggestions you should get a pretty good idea about this potential therapist. If you would like more information about selecting a therapist, see the article "Selecting a Good Marital Therapist" in the Marriage Counseling section. The Good News: You may only require a few sessions. Three months is probably the average time for noticeable psychological improvement to occur for many problems. (See Consumer Reports (1995), "Mental Health: Does Therapy Help?", pp. 734-739). Individual experiences will vary. Some issues or deep seeded problems do take awhile to work out. Why not find out what is involved? I remember years ago when I was in college and money was tight. I didn't have any heat in the passenger side of my car. I was afraid to go to have it checked out because I was worried about how much it would cost. Finally, after riding around wearing a hat and gloves, I impulsively drove to an auto mechanic to check out what the problem was. I said to myself "I will freeze no longer." "What ever it takes I will do". I found out that I was low on antifreeze. Things aren't always as bad as we think. Sometimes a quick look by a "mechanic" can offer easier solutions that we thought possible. Don't stay out in the cold when you don't have to. |