What Should a Therapist Look for in a Therapist? A Deeper Journey Inward
As therapists, we dedicate ourselves to walking beside others through their most vulnerable, painful, and transformative moments. We hold space for stories that crack open the human condition. But the truth is, we can only accompany our clients as far as we’ve dared to go within ourselves. That’s why finding the right therapist—one who can truly meet you—is not just a luxury, it’s a necessity.
So what should you be looking for when it’s your turn on the couch? Not just someone skilled, but someone who can hold your complexity. Someone who can see beyond your role as a healer, and help you see more clearly into your own soul. Here are five things to keep in mind as you search.
1. You’re Not Here to Rearrange the Surface—You’re Here to Shift the Foundation
You’ve likely done a lot of work already. But this time, you’re ready to go further. You’re not coming to therapy to tweak behaviors or rehearse insights you already know. You want something deeper—something transformative. A therapist who can hold that level of depth won’t rush to "fix" you or keep things neat. They’ll invite you into the discomfort of the unknown, where true change happens. Look for someone who knows how to work with the psyche at the roots.
2. You Want to Step Out of the Helper Role and Just Be Human
Being a therapist often means wearing a calm, capable face—even when your own insides are tangled. But in your own therapy, you need space to be real. Vulnerable. Scared. Longing. You deserve a relationship where you don’t have to hold it all together. So choose a therapist who welcomes your rawness, not just your insight. Someone who doesn’t need you to be the “good client.” Someone who sees you, not your credentials.
3. You’re Curious About the Psyche—You Want to Understand the Symbols, the Shadows, the Dreams
Let’s face it: you wouldn’t be in this field if you weren’t fascinated by the unconscious. Dreams, archetypes, projections—these are the languages you speak. Find a therapist who speaks them too. One who won’t reduce your dream to a checklist interpretation, but will sit in the mystery with you. This kind of therapist can help you unlock meaning in places you’ve never thought to look.
4. You Want to Access a Knowing Beyond the Mind
You’ve done the analysis. You’ve read the books. Now, you want to feel it. That deep knowing. The quiet, intuitive voice that doesn’t always have words but knows the way. A good therapist for you will not only work with cognition and emotion, but also with the wisdom that lives beyond them. Look for someone attuned to the body, the heart, and the spirit.
5. You Know Your Depth Matters—Because Your Clients Can Only Go Where You’ve Gone
You’re not just doing this work for yourself. You’re doing it because you believe in healing—not as a concept, but as a lived experience. You want to be a clearer channel for the people who sit across from you every day. And that means being rigorous, honest, and humble in your own process. The right therapist won’t just support your growth-they’ll help you to keep expanding.
Final Thoughts:
Finding a therapist as a therapist isn’t easy. It asks you to drop your armor, your theories, your expertise—and come just as you are. But when you find someone who meets you at that level, it’s alchemical. You become not just a better clinician, but a fuller, freer human being.
Because the deeper you go, the more you can offer. And the healing ripples outward from there.
Counseling in Manhattan for Therapists
Now, if you’re ready to take a step and begin your counseling, I am here to talk with you.
Call 212-741-5495 or email awakepresence@gmail.com to book a free consult to see if we are the right fit!