How To Know If a Therapist Is the Right Fit For You

Looking for a therapist can feel overwhelming. Scroll enough directories and every profile starts to sound the same.

Here’s what we tell people:

1. Don’t just read credentials — meet them so you can feel and listen for resonance.

You can like someone’s bio, but resonance is a multisensory experience where you’re attuning to the other.

In other words, you feel like you “click.” Or like you “get each other.” Your communication feels smooth, they reflect back what you’ve said and they’re adapting to your way of communicating and processing.

Make more than one inquiry so you have some options.

2. When you meet, do their words feel authentic to you?

The conversation should flow naturally so you’re able to fall into a safe rhythm to speak freely.

3. Do you feel seen in how they describe their work?

Pay attention to your body’s cues—do you feel a little more open when you read their profile, or do you tense up?

And when you meet, notice if they’re inviting all of you into the room—your mind, your body, your feelings, even the parts you usually keep hidden.

That connection matters more than the perfect “fit on paper.”

Here are 5 questions to bring to your first meeting with a new therapist:

1 - Do I feel safe and respected in this space?

Notice: did the therapist listen without judgment, interrupting, or rushing me?

2- Does their approach make sense to me?

Ask: how do they describe the way they work? Can they explain their methods in clear terms?

3- Do I feel more understood or more confused after talking with them?

Pay attention to whether their questions and reflections help you gain a clearer understanding of yourself.

4- Are they inviting all parts of me into the room?

Understanding that for some parts, it may take time before they feel safe enough to be identified, to be seen. But overall, do I feel that they make space for my body, my emotions, and even the parts of myself I usually avoid?

5- Can I imagine myself being honest with them, even about the hard things?

Sometimes the best indicator of fit isn’t immediate comfort, but whether I feel the potential to trust them with my full story over time.

Therapy is where you bring your whole self. Your relationship with your therapist should invite that.

And if you're searching for a therapist, we invite you to contact us today.