I am a licensed psychologist in the state of Washington where I provide counseling for adults, couples, and older teens.
Take a look around this site to learn more about my practice, and if you are interested in working with me, then I invite you to contact me today and we can get started. And be sure to read the self-help section and my blog while you're here. -Will
My Blog:
Relationship triangles occur when three people all have individual relationships with the other two people. In good times, these patterns can be fun, energizing, and rewarding. However, when any of the relationships become strained, the triangles can become complicated for everyone involved. When dysfunctional patterns become solidified in these triangles, those complications can become cemented, leading to longer term problems. The following gives and overview of relationship triangles, and gives some suggestions for sustaining healthy patterns within them.
The following information is a guide for choosing a therapist and knowing how to make the most out of therapy.
There are a lot of articles on the web about how to choose a therapist. Most of them focus on different degree levels (MA, MSW, Ph.D., Psy.D) types of training, titles (psychologist, psychiatrist, therapist, marriage counselor), and theoretical orientation (cognitive-behavioral, DBT, Psychodynamic, Gestalt, Mindfulness, etc), and matching these to your concerns (relationships, depression, anxiety, ADHD, relationship problems, bipolar, etc). Although it is important to be educated about these things, and you can read more about them below, it is not the most important part of choosing a therapist. Additionally, there are many psychologists, counselors, and therapists in Portland, OR and Vancouver WA with any mix of these specialties and qualifications, making the choice more difficult.
So how do you pick? I would suggest you do this based centrally on the "fit" between you and your therapist. In more detail, that might mean that the person seems competent, professional, trustworthy, friendly, and has something to offer you. Like someone you feel good about entering into a personal/professional relationship with.
Research has shown there to be a variety of reasons for this, most notably that the therapeutic relationship is the best predictor of success. Additionally, there is a line of research on people dubbed "super shrinks". These are people that create exceptional outcomes for all sorts of clients with a wide range of problems. Being a super shrink has nothing to do with credentials, experience, or demographics (age, race, sex, etc). It has more to do with subtle things they do during the course of therapy.
It is very hard to know who these people are without meeting them or knowing someone that has worked with them, but sometimes just looking at a website or materials can just feel different. They may feel friendlier, more personable, more competent, more trustworthy, more professional, or like a safer bet. This can be a nice indicator of "fit" ahead of time. That means that looking for the "best counselor" or "best psychologist" in Vancouver would not be as important as the best one for you.
My advice is to read the websites or materials from some therapists, and the one you can see yourself sharing comfortably with and learning the most from should be at the top of your list. Then, either talk on the phone for a few minutes or exchange a few emails, and also see if the person would agree to a free 30min consultation. After this, you will probably have a good sense of whether the person will work for you. Of course I hope that person would be me, but if it is not, then I hope this helps you on your continued search.
Making the Most of Counseling
Once you are in counseling, there are certain things that research has shown to lead to better outcomes. The following is brief overview of the five most important things that will allow you to have the best experience in counseling, and the greatest chances of meeting your therapy goals quickly.
1. Come to each session with a plan: If you arrive at each session with your counselor with an agenda (or specific plan) that contains a goal or something you'd like to get from counseling that day, then you are setting yourself up for success. This can help you and your therapist stay on track with your goals, and make sure you are getting what you want from each counseling session. A therapy goal can be as simple as "learn specific coping skills" or "talk about my relationship with my mom," but starting off with this helps.
2. Think about the session during the week: Another elements that predicts success is how much time a client spends during the week thinking about the previous session. Essentially, the more time you spend outside of the session, thinking about the work you are doing in counseling, the faster your therapy goals will be met. Just coming in one hour a week and detaching from the work usually does not achieve the outcomes as quickly.
3. Tell your counselor what you like: All therapists work with different methods and counseling approaches, and each also has a unique interpersonal style. If your therapist is doing something that you don't like, or don't find helpful, then I recommend telling him/her. Most psychologists and other types of therapists have training on having these discussions, and if you don't know, they they can't make the adjustments.
4. Be honest with your counselor: When you first enter counseling you may be going for some things that you are unsure about discussing, or feel some shame around. If you can trust your therapist, then being really honest with what is happening in your life is the best way to make progress. Hiding important things, or the level of certain activities can complicate how your psychologists will work with you, and slow you down. If you don't feel comfortable sharing because of something with your therapist, you may want to bring that up first.
5. Try new things out: There are often parts of counseling that are focused on changing behaviors or trying new things. If you have some homework or ideas to try new things based on your counseling session, giving it a real try will help you find out very soon whether what you are doing in therapy is working.
Types of Providers
Psychologists: a "psychologist" has a Ph.D. or Psy.D. degree in clinical or counseling psychology, has the most extensive training (5-7 years), and can specialize in a wide range of issues (social issues, PTSD, substance abuse, divorce, parenting, career or work problems, adolescent psychology, bipolar, couples therapy, anxiety disorders, etc). Psychologists also frequently do psychological testing.
Counselors: a "counselor" has a Masters degree (2-3 years training), is licensed (LC, LPC), and specializes in mental health counseling, marriage family and couples therapy, or substance abuse (drug and alcohol). They often identify themselves as "marriage counselor" or "family counselor". Counselors in Vancouver and the rest of Washington used to have a very easy route to get licensed, but the state has now made it more strict.
Therapists: a "therapist" is a general designation that many types of providers can use, but is not standard terminology beyond people who are licensed marriage and family therapists (LMFT), who fit the above description for counselor. Essentially, any mental health provider can call him/herself a therapist. You may also see a practitioner refer to him/herself as a "psychotherapist", which is also not a formal type of provider.
Psychiatrists: have MDs and are trained physicians that specialize in mental health. Many psychiatrists do some limited form of counseling, with some being trained in deeper counseling approaches. Most treat mental health issues through medication.
Coaches: are a relatively new type of provider that as of this writing, are not regulated by state licensing bodies. That means that pretty much anyone can call themselves a "coach" and give some type of life advice, guidance, or counseling, although they are not legally allowed to practice the type of counseling that any of the above providers can.
There are a lot of articles on the web about how to choose a therapist. Most of them focus on different degree levels (MA, MSW, Ph.D., Psy.D) types of training, titles (psychologist, psychiatrist, therapist, marriage counselor), and theoretical orientation (cognitive-behavioral, DBT, Psychodynamic, Gestalt, Mindfulness, etc), and matching these to your concerns (relationships, depression, anxiety, ADHD, relationship problems, bipolar, etc). Although it is important to be educated about these things, and you can read more about them below, it is not the most important part of choosing a therapist. Additionally, there are many psychologists, counselors, and therapists in Portland, OR and Vancouver WA with any mix of these specialties and qualifications, making the choice more difficult.
So how do you pick? I would suggest you do this based centrally on the "fit" between you and your therapist. In more detail, that might mean that the person seems competent, professional, trustworthy, friendly, and has something to offer you. Like someone you feel good about entering into a personal/professional relationship with.
Research has shown there to be a variety of reasons for this, most notably that the therapeutic relationship is the best predictor of success. Additionally, there is a line of research on people dubbed "super shrinks". These are people that create exceptional outcomes for all sorts of clients with a wide range of problems. Being a super shrink has nothing to do with credentials, experience, or demographics (age, race, sex, etc). It has more to do with subtle things they do during the course of therapy.
It is very hard to know who these people are without meeting them or knowing someone that has worked with them, but sometimes just looking at a website or materials can just feel different. They may feel friendlier, more personable, more competent, more trustworthy, more professional, or like a safer bet. This can be a nice indicator of "fit" ahead of time. That means that looking for the "best counselor" or "best psychologist" in Vancouver would not be as important as the best one for you.
My advice is to read the websites or materials from some therapists, and the one you can see yourself sharing comfortably with and learning the most from should be at the top of your list. Then, either talk on the phone for a few minutes or exchange a few emails, and also see if the person would agree to a free 30min consultation. After this, you will probably have a good sense of whether the person will work for you. Of course I hope that person would be me, but if it is not, then I hope this helps you on your continued search.
Making the Most of Counseling
Once you are in counseling, there are certain things that research has shown to lead to better outcomes. The following is brief overview of the five most important things that will allow you to have the best experience in counseling, and the greatest chances of meeting your therapy goals quickly.
1. Come to each session with a plan: If you arrive at each session with your counselor with an agenda (or specific plan) that contains a goal or something you'd like to get from counseling that day, then you are setting yourself up for success. This can help you and your therapist stay on track with your goals, and make sure you are getting what you want from each counseling session. A therapy goal can be as simple as "learn specific coping skills" or "talk about my relationship with my mom," but starting off with this helps.
2. Think about the session during the week: Another elements that predicts success is how much time a client spends during the week thinking about the previous session. Essentially, the more time you spend outside of the session, thinking about the work you are doing in counseling, the faster your therapy goals will be met. Just coming in one hour a week and detaching from the work usually does not achieve the outcomes as quickly.
3. Tell your counselor what you like: All therapists work with different methods and counseling approaches, and each also has a unique interpersonal style. If your therapist is doing something that you don't like, or don't find helpful, then I recommend telling him/her. Most psychologists and other types of therapists have training on having these discussions, and if you don't know, they they can't make the adjustments.
4. Be honest with your counselor: When you first enter counseling you may be going for some things that you are unsure about discussing, or feel some shame around. If you can trust your therapist, then being really honest with what is happening in your life is the best way to make progress. Hiding important things, or the level of certain activities can complicate how your psychologists will work with you, and slow you down. If you don't feel comfortable sharing because of something with your therapist, you may want to bring that up first.
5. Try new things out: There are often parts of counseling that are focused on changing behaviors or trying new things. If you have some homework or ideas to try new things based on your counseling session, giving it a real try will help you find out very soon whether what you are doing in therapy is working.
Types of Providers
Psychologists: a "psychologist" has a Ph.D. or Psy.D. degree in clinical or counseling psychology, has the most extensive training (5-7 years), and can specialize in a wide range of issues (social issues, PTSD, substance abuse, divorce, parenting, career or work problems, adolescent psychology, bipolar, couples therapy, anxiety disorders, etc). Psychologists also frequently do psychological testing.
Counselors: a "counselor" has a Masters degree (2-3 years training), is licensed (LC, LPC), and specializes in mental health counseling, marriage family and couples therapy, or substance abuse (drug and alcohol). They often identify themselves as "marriage counselor" or "family counselor". Counselors in Vancouver and the rest of Washington used to have a very easy route to get licensed, but the state has now made it more strict.
Therapists: a "therapist" is a general designation that many types of providers can use, but is not standard terminology beyond people who are licensed marriage and family therapists (LMFT), who fit the above description for counselor. Essentially, any mental health provider can call him/herself a therapist. You may also see a practitioner refer to him/herself as a "psychotherapist", which is also not a formal type of provider.
Psychiatrists: have MDs and are trained physicians that specialize in mental health. Many psychiatrists do some limited form of counseling, with some being trained in deeper counseling approaches. Most treat mental health issues through medication.
Coaches: are a relatively new type of provider that as of this writing, are not regulated by state licensing bodies. That means that pretty much anyone can call themselves a "coach" and give some type of life advice, guidance, or counseling, although they are not legally allowed to practice the type of counseling that any of the above providers can.
