HOW TO PICK A THERAPIST_ WRITTEN BY A LICENSED THERAPIST IN LONG BEACH
                      
HOW TO PICK A THERAPIST? WRITTEN BY A 
LICENSED THERAPIST IN LONG BEACH
In my first blog of 2022, I wrote about how to prioritize your mental health in 2022.  In 
my second blog of 2022, I would like to give ideas on how to find a therapist who is 
right for you. 
 
I started the Long Beach Therapy website because I realized that when people are 
picking out therapists, they don’t really have anything to go by.  They just pick 
someone who has a nice sounding name or doesn’t look too weird, and then they just 
hope for the best. 
 
I wanted Long Beach Therapy to be different.  I wanted for people to go on the website 
and learn something about the therapy process as well as about me.  I wanted them to 
have an idea of who I am before having to tell their life story to me.  I hope I was 
successful.  Please, look around the website, look at my biography, my credentials, my 
areas of expertise, and then decide if we might be a match.  I hope that the Long Beach 
Therapy website did its job.
You can also check out the “meet your therapist” page on 
our website to check out all of the therapists we have at 
Long Beach Therapy.  You can call 562-310-9741 to get 
help picking a therapist based on your specific goals and 
needs. 
 
Regardless of who you choose, your therapist should be 
someone who meets the following criteria: 
 
1. You believe that they understand your issues and your 
point of view. 
2. You don’t feel judged. 
3. You feel like you can open up with them. If this is not 
the case, try out a few different therapists and go with 
the therapist who you feel that you can most open up to 
and be your true self with. 
4. You believe that they are providing you insight or 
interventions that make sense to you. If this isn’t the 
case, it is important for you to talk to them about what 
you are needing and what you believe you want. 
5. They offer therapy options that you feel comfortable 
with. There are pros and cons to in-person therapy and 
virtual therapy. Regardless of what you choose, YOU 
should feel comfortable with the mode you are 
participating in.
6.They have a therapy style that you feel comfortable with. Whether that is EMDR, CBT, or 
another type of therapy; if you have a therapy style in mind or a therapy style that has worked 
for you in the past, don’t hesitate to ask your therapist if they are trained in that type of 
therapy or if they can refer you to someone who is trained in that type of therapy. 
7.Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Sometimes when people call for the first time and I ask 
them “do you have any questions”, they respond with “what are the usual questions people 
ask”?  Even though they don’t know what to ask, they are starting the process of getting to 
know the therapist so that they can ultimately make a decision whether to try the therapist 
out. 
 
Good luck on your journey towards personal growth!
Tips to finding a therapist if you live outside of California:  Due to licensing restrictions, since I 
am licensed in California, I can only see people who reside in California.  I often see people in 
other parts of the state through online teletherapy (such as zoom), but if you live outside of 
California, these are some tips in finding a therapist in your area.  If you are looking for an 
individual therapist in your area, try doing a google search on: “therapist near me” or type in 
YOUR  CITY or state such as “therapist in California” or “therapist in Long Beach” (replace “Long 
BeacFho” ra nmd/oorr e“C vailisfoitrn-hiat”t wpisth:/ /yloounr gcibtye/satcahtet nhaemrae)p. y.com/ 
                        Or
 Call us on 562-310-9741 now .