Research studies consistently show that the relationship between a client and their psychologist is one of the most important factors in determining whether counselling will be helpful. In fact, the rapport that you have with your psychologist has been found to be more important than the type of treatment approaches the psychologist uses.

At Inner Melbourne Clinical Psychology each of our psychologists are experts in up-to-date, evidence-based treatment approaches, such as Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Mindfulness and Schema Therapy. At the end of the day, however, scientific studies suggest that what’s more important than any of these specific treatment approaches is the match between you and your psychologist.

How to know if a psychologist is right for you

This is something only you can decide. Sometimes people find they get a gut feeling or hunch after their first session and other people prefer to give themselves time and space to decide how they feel.

When trying to figure out whether you “click” with your psychologist it can be useful to ask yourself:

  • Does there seem to be mutual respect between me and my psychologist?
  • Do I feel safe enough to talk about private, sensitive, painful or uncomfortable topics with my psychologist?
  • Do I feel that my psychologist accepts me without judgement?
  • Do I get the sense that we’ll be able to work together effectively?
  • Does my psychologist have expertise in the areas that I’m wanting help with?

It takes time to build a trusting relationship with your psychologist (just as it does with any person). If you feel safe, understood and respected though, it is likely that you have found a psychologist who is a good match for you.

What happens when it doesn’t feel like the right fit?

Trust your instincts. If it doesn’t feel like the right match after a few sessions, as frustrating as this can be, don’t give up. We each have unique personalities, so we can’t possibly gel with everyone we meet. Although it can be a pain to have to tell your story again to another psychologist, in the long-run it’s better to find someone who you feel comfortable with than stick with someone who doesn’t feel right.

At Inner Melbourne Clinical Psychology, each of our psychologists understands and genuinely values the importance of finding someone you click with. We won’t be offended or defensive if you decide that you would like to try another psychologist. We think these discussions are important and pride ourselves on being open to feedback about the way we work.

If it doesn’t feel like the right match you can speak directly with the psychologist about how you feel and they can make suggestions in terms of who might be a better match (within our practice or at an external practice).

We also understand that sometimes those discussions feel confronting or uncomfortable, so if you don’t want to speak with the psychologist you’ve seen, you can email us at info@innermelbpsychology.com.au to chat with our Director, Dr Jacqueline Baulch. Jacqueline is a clinical psychologist herself and makes it a priority to ensure that all clients find a psychologist they feel comfortable and confident with.

How we can help you to find the right match

After reading our website, some clients feel ready to book a first appointment. Others prefer to gather more information before they make a decision. That’s where our experienced Support Team come in. We know that seeking help isn’t always easy and we’re happy to guide you through the process to make it as smooth as possible.

Our Support Team is here to arm you with information that will help you to find a psychologist who feels like a good fit. Things you might like to discuss with us include:

  • A run-down of which team members have expertise in the areas you are wanting help with (learn more about how we can help)
  • If there any particular therapeutic approaches, such as Mindfulness or Dialectical Behaviour Therapy that you want your psychologist to be experienced with
  • If there any therapeutic approaches that don’t resonate with you and you would like to stay away from in sessions
  • Gender preferences
  • If you’ve seen a psychologist or counsellor before we can help you to nut out what worked well, and what didn’t work so well, so we can use this information to help with matching
  • Whether you find particular personality types clash with your personality. For example, you might feel you gel best with people who are gentle, or perhaps you find it helpful to have someone be more direct with you
  • Your general availability (days and times) and preference for location
  • Any general questions you have about seeing a psychologist, such as what to expect in the first session, fees and Medicare rebates

Let us help you find the right psychologist

To get started with finding the right psychologist for you, call our friendly Support Team on (03) 9376 1958 or fill out our online booking form.