Are You Moving To A New City? 3 Tips To Transition To A New Therapist
Posted on: 20 June 2019
After months or years of speaking to the same counselor, it is hard to say goodbye. Yet, there often comes a time when you need to move and the person that you have been working with may have an office that is too far away to continue attending therapy sessions. While changing to a new counselor does involve a few challenges, you can use these tips to help ease the transition so that you continue to benefit from better mental health.
Ask for a Copy of Your Record
The first thing that you need to do is let your current counselor know that you are moving. When you do, ask them if you can have a copy of your record that you can take to your new therapist. Although professionals tend to vary in their record keeping, there should be some information that your new counselor can use to get an idea of what has been covered in the past and identify any current therapeutic strategies that are working.
Be Prepared to Give Some Background Information Again
Your record will provide some important information, but you should also expect that your new therapist will ask you a few questions to hear things straight from you. Although it is sometimes frustrating to have to retell your story, this is important because it allows the counselor to see how you react through each part. Keep in mind that you don't have to cover everything at once. If you are dealing with a traumatizing part of your story, then it is okay to let them know that you need a break and want to focus on something else. You can always come back to the story later or during a different session. You should also be aware that you might notice that you feel different about parts of your personal history than you did in the past, and this can often lead to a breakthrough in even the very first session.
Keep an Open Mind
Getting used to someone new is often hard, especially when you are talking about sensitive, personal information that may be painful. However, it may help to try to look at this as an opportunity to gain a new professional perspective on the mental health issues that you are working on. Consider trying a different type of therapist who may offer different strategies for coping with things such as trauma, grief, loss, or divorce. One of the biggest benefits of changing to a new therapy office is that you may learn something about yourself that you have not realized before.
For more information, contact a company like Eddins Counseling Group.
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