Therapy Kelowna: How to Pick a Therapist Who Is the Right Fit for You

If you Google "counselling Kelowna," a ton of options pop up. But how do you know who to choose? Where do you even begin?

From figuring out the difference between an RCC counsellor and an RSW therapist, to trying to understand the various therapy modalities and acronyms therapists use, to deciding whether you prefer virtual therapy or in-person therapy in Kelowna, it can all feel overwhelming.

I want to provide some tips that might make your journey to finding the right therapist in Kelowna a little easier.

1. Check What Your Benefits Cover

The first thing you may want to consider is who your benefits cover. Some benefit plans only cover RCC counsellors, who are regulated by the BCACC, while others only cover RSW therapists, who are regulated by the BCCSW.

Start there to ensure you choose a therapist whose services are covered by your benefit plan.

2. Consider What You Are Hoping to Work On

Are you looking for relationship counselling, young adult therapy, adolescent counselling, depression counselling, family counselling, or anxiety counselling?

Depending on what you are hoping to work on, you may want to find someone who specializes in those areas. While many therapists work with a wide range of concerns, finding a therapist with experience in your specific area of focus can be beneficial.

3. Think About What Therapy Approach Might Fit You Best

This is where things can get a little tricky. Depending on whether you have attended therapy before, you may or may not have a sense of what therapeutic approach works best for you.

Some people who are looking for practical skills and strategies, or who want to focus on more surface-level concerns, may be drawn to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). Others who have experienced trauma may be more interested in approaches such as EMDR, Internal Family Systems (IFS), or Somatic Experiencing.

At Youology, we often work with people who are looking to go beyond simple skill development. The truth is that many of people's concerns are far more complex than simply changing their perspective, or developing skills. Trauma (which comes in the form of big T (i.e., sexual assault, going to war), and little T (i.e., parental absence, sibling conflict, a lack of attunement when growing up)), is often stored in the body and nervous system, therefore it can play a role in the background to our psychological struggles. This is why it is not as simple as thinking our way out of our pain, and if it were, many people would not continue to struggle with the challenges they face. This is why as a clinic we utilize more in-depth approaches such as EMDR, IFS, Somatic Experiencing, and Attachment Therapy.

To figure out which modality might be your jam, you may need to do a little investigating. Don't worry—we've already laid this out for you on our website.

4. Find Someone Who Feels Like a Good Fit

Once you have found therapists who meet your basic criteria in terms of designation and therapeutic approaches, the next step is determining who feels like the best fit for you personally.

We suggest taking advantage of as many free consultations as possible so you can get a sense of who feels most comfortable and aligned with your needs. Sometimes it takes more than a simple 20-minute consultation to truly get a feel for someone, but it's a great place to start.

This can be especially important if your benefits are limited and you cannot afford to attend multiple sessions before finding the right personality fit. A strong therapeutic relationship is one of the most important factors in successful therapy, so trust your instincts and choose someone you feel comfortable connecting with.