This is a difficult question, but an important one nonetheless. For those who have the good fortune of finding a suitable therapist first time, this question may not even arise. For others however, it can be quite a different story. The search for the ‘right’ therapist is not unlike searching for the ‘right’ accountant, doctor, builder or hairdresser. Whether it be entrusting our finances, our health, our home or our hair to another person, few people would settle for just anyone.
We rarely seek anything unless we perceive or feel an immediate need for it. How many people do you know who can say that they have found a therapist but not yet engaged their services? Most people wait until they are suffering intense emotional pain or in the midst of a crisis – and need help right away. Such a time is probably not the best time to choose a therapist.
Desperate, we might make an appointment with the nearest and first available therapist. At the initial meeting we discover that the therapist operates on a wavelength that is not compatible with our own. We sink into despair and disappointment. Unaware of alternatives, some of us opt to persevere – albeit half heartedly. Or we might become disillusioned and give up on the idea of therapy altogether. A bad result all around.
Healthy Minds Geelong's vision is to create a positive culture of mental health across the Geelong region.
The HMG concept was born to fill the gap in local mental health support services and in particular the need for a dedicated local information hub to help connect the community to local services, navigate the mental health care system and ultimately empower people to look after their mental health.