  I am excited to begin my first blog! On these pages I aim to discuss a range of topics which often arise in my day-to-day clinical practice and which clients ask me questions about. So where to start? I thought a sensible place would be to give my thoughts and ideas on the very start of the therapy process; how to ensure you find a psychologist or psychotherapist who is the best fit for you.
Choice can be a wonderful thing but it can also be confusing! This is particularly true when trying to find a psychologist to meet your needs. There are many questions which may go through your mind: Can a psychologist help? What type of psychologist/specialist/ psychotherapist should I see? Which type of therapy is best for me or my family? Below I have included some pointers to help make this important decision. What Type of Specialist? One of the great things about Hong Kong is its diversity, with individuals and families moving here from all around the world. The private health care sector is equally diverse, with specialists trained world-wide. However, this can add an extra layer of confusion to making choices about which clinician to access as specialists and specialties may vary between countries. Usually, when we are looking to make a decision about which service to use we can look at the reviews on-line. If I were to book a holiday, I would almost certainly read the reviews of trip advisor before choosing a hotel. Therapy is different. It is private, confidential and individuals do not wish to broadcast something which is so personal. So where to begin? Good Family doctors and reputable health clinics are often a great place to go to ask for advice on referring to a suitable clinical psychologist or psychotherapist. They should know which psychologists specialise in which areas and thus would be a good match for you. They can also offer advice on medication options and whether you may wish to meet with a psychiatrist (an expert in mental health medications). Indeed, I always advise my clients to meet with their family doctor at the start of therapy to check that they are in good physical health. This is because there can sometimes be physical health reasons which contribute to low mood and thus which need to be ruled out. Do your research! Often a clinical psychologist or psychotherapist will have a specialism. This may be a particular client group (e.g. adults or children) or a particular presentation (e.g. mood disorders or relationship difficulties). So when it comes to finding a suitable therapist you should pick someone who has experience in the issue you present with. A good clinician will always refer you to another specialist if they assess you as having a difficulty outside their area of expertise. This can be ascertained in the initial assessment session, or you may want to make an inquiry at the clinic first. Check the therapist’s credentials! In the UK, clinical psychologists need to have a degree in psychology followed by 3 years doctoral level training with supervised internships and research. The Hong Kong Psychology Society is currently taking steps to make ‘clinical psychologist’ a protected title so that clinicians must apply to them to be vetted and to gain the right to advertise themselves under the title ‘clinical psychologist’ in Hong Kong. In the UK the regulating body is the Health & Care Professions Council and it is easy to see if a clinician is on the register and thus meets the standard to practice under the title ‘clinical psychologist/ practitioner psychologist’. Which Type of therapy? This decision is usually made by the clinician undertaking the assessment (e.g. the psychologist or referring doctor), although some individuals may already have their own ideas when they enter therapy about which type of approach they think will suit them best. When a clinician makes a decision about the most suitable therapy for an individual, their decision should be governed by research. A lot of time, effort and money has been spent by researchers trying to work out which types of psychotherapy or medication works and for what difficulties. In a very useful book, ‘What Works for Whom? A Critical Review of Psychotherapy Research (2nd Ed), Roth & Fonagy (2005) summarise the research to date in terms of what approaches show ‘clear evidence of efficacy’. For example, there is good evidence that CBT is an effective intervention for depression and anxiety. Another invaluable resource is the UK’s department of Heath’s National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) Guidelines. These easy to use guidelines recommend best practice treatment options for various presentations. The guidelines even recommend the number of sessions which an intervention may take to be delivered. Individual preferences may be taken into account as well: some individuals really like practical approaches (in which case e.g Cognitive-behaviour therapy may be a good fit) whereas others may wish for a more relational type of therapy (e.g. systemic therapy or a psychodynamic therapy). To date the main types of therapy which are currently used in clinical practice include: Behaviour therapy, Cognitive-Behaviour therapy, Psychoanalytic Therapy, and Systemic Therapy. This is not an exhaustive list however! And lastly…stick with it! I often describe to clients that therapy can be a bit like a roller coaster- there will be ups and downs but that it is important to give it a chance. Developing a good therapeutic relationship with a supportive clinician is a great way to maximise understanding of your difficulty and promote positive change. Until next time…. Comments are closed.
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