Today psychology has diversified so much that it can be difficult to choose between this type of professionals. However, if we have the possibility of know if a psychologist is good or not this choice will be easier and much more beneficial for us.
Now… what criteria should we look at to assess the quality of a psychologist?
If you are thinking about going to a psychologist or if you are already in therapy and want to know if you have chosen the right professional, you will be interested in knowing these 6 aspects to take into account:
1. Training criteria
We start from an obvious minimum: the psychologist Must have a degree (current degree) in Psychology There are some professionals who promote themselves as therapists, counselors, etc., who do not have to have completed a degree in psychology.
Furthermore, complementary training is very important. The psychology degree offers a few subjects dedicated to the clinical field, but the rest deal with other specialties, so it is desirable that the therapist have specialized postgraduate training in clinical matters (master or expert type) which include practices in which theoretical knowledge can be applied.
2. Legal criteria
The exercise of our profession has a mandatory registration requirement (which may be visible on the professional’s website, on their invoice or in any other advertising). In this case it is only a legal issue that involves exclusively paying an amount to the corresponding school without this implying greater experience or professionalism.
that has The title of clinical psychologist or general psychologist is also important In Spain, the only legal formula to deal with patients is either to have gone through the PIR system (opposition that includes several years of clinical practice in rotation) which accredits you as a clinical psychologist, or to obtain the title of generalist health psychologist, which It is currently achieved through a master’s degree.
As an exception, professionals who were already practicing before the regulations have been able to be accredited if they have professional experience, postgraduate training and professional activity in an approved center.
3. Years of experience
Years of experience in the profession provide a plus to the therapist. Although this criterion is not always a guarantee of quality, it is true that the greater the experience, the greater the level of competence. As a reference, for any skill it is considered that Excellence is achieved after 10 years of practice in a subject.
4. Opinions and references
The vast majority of psychologists are registered in search engines such as Google Maps itself, where patients can put their opinions about us, which can be a guide to how we do our work. And of course, the direct testimony of another patient who has gone through psychotherapy is tremendously valuable information, although there are always exceptions due to individual differences and what works for one person may not work for another.
5. Internet search
If you search online for which psychologist to go to and Google “psychologists” followed by your city, what you should keep in mind are not those results that appear above the green ad label. This advantageous positioning (the first to leave) is product of an economic investment in Google but it does not talk about the relevance of its content.
Although the operation of search robots on the Internet is tremendously complex, what makes a page appear (the psychologist’s website, his blog, or his publications) if it is not paid in advance, is, among other things, that many people use it. visit, and that can be quality guidance
Spend some time comparing several professionals by visiting the information you find about them: their professional career, the type of therapy they do, how long they have been practicing, and if it fits your needs. For example, if you have an anxiety problem, perhaps a sex psychologist is not the most suitable for your case, no matter how much he or she meets the rest of the requirements (experience, master’s degree, good opinions, etc.)
The criteria to consider in the therapy itself
Other aspects to consider that are part of the psychotherapy sessions themselves are the following:
That the questions you ask have a therapeutic objective
The therapy is far from being a colloquial conversation with a friend and therefore, a therapist should not ask a question out of mere curiosity, but because it is necessary to clarify some aspect of the person.
Questions about your profession, the reason for a decision, questions about the people around you, give clues about the internal and relational dynamics that underlie your life. However, there are other unnecessary questions (for example: if you go to spinning class and you count it as a hobby, the therapist asking you which gym you go to does not make any therapeutic sense).
The therapist talks about himself
To make a patient understand a problem or a solution, it is not necessary for the therapist to use an example. The protagonist should never be the therapist, but the patient
It is true that there are some useful revelations (such as: when you talk about this topic, I feel your aggressiveness or your sadness) because they are a way of mirroring the patient so that they understand their emotions and what they can generate in others. But this revelation should not become a relief for the professional.
For example, in a case of couples therapy that the professional reveals that he also has conflicts with his wife, or in an anxiety treatment that he uses as an example of when he suffered it and tells you his story.
counseling therapy
a therapist It shouldn’t tell you what to do but to help you discover which is the best option for you. Advising is a reflection of what oneself believes is best for another. The therapist cannot know what is best for you according to him, but he must discover with you what is best for you according to you.
The therapist uses external information and brings it to session
Suppose that by chance your therapist knows someone close to you and knows something about you that you haven’t told them. Under no circumstances is he authorized to reveal that information and share it with you.
When a patient consents to analysis in therapy, that relationship is only allowed within the walls of the consultation Outside of that, the therapist stops being your therapist and does not have “permission” to analyze you. No matter how much they are in another context (in a class, or in the supermarket), he cannot act as such or use the information he perceives from the street in therapy.
Contact outside of therapy
Although with the passage of time the therapist-patient relationship may become closer or there may be more trust between them, the neutrality rule must always be respected. The only way for therapy to work is for the patient to have a therapist, not a friend. Therefore, being left out of consultation crosses the line from cordiality to camaraderie that distorts the professional relationship.
