Therapy Guide

All people are different, have different ways of functioning and different needs. If you’re about to start therapy and feel like the step of reaching out and scheduling your first appointment is work enough for you, that’s okay. I hope you’ll take the step! 

For some of you it might feel good to know a bit more about the process of starting therapy, and I hope this guide can be of help. This is a reflection of how I work, the training I’ve received and the questions I usually get from my clients. Some therapists might view this process differently than me but I hope it can be of help to you as a way to navigate.

Regardless of if you have a lot of questions and expectations before starting therapy or if you don’t have any questions I hope the step to therapy won’t seem to far away.

What kind of method should I go for?

To know this can be difficult and most of us might need some guidance or help with this step. Maybe you’ve read something or heard about a friend that goes to a specific type of therapy that you’re interested in, or you’ve never thought about therapy before and don’t know what to ask or look for. Don’t worry, there’s a lot of information out there for you, and if you don’t have energy to look things up that’s okay as well. The therapist you’ll find will most likely help you and guide you in the process of learning about what might be helpful for you.

Some things might be worth considering or asking the therapist that you’ll contact. For example what kind of therapy methods can your therapist offer. Talk to your therapist and ask them about what method they are schooled in and how it would work. Many therapists are trained in more than one method and it can be helpful to get some information about how the different methods vary and how you and your therapist would work together with the specific method. 

For many clients the specific method might matter less than the connection and safety they feel with the therapist. So listen to yourself and what’s important for you. 

Should I see a coach, therapist, psychologist, counsellor, something else? Does it matter?

Another thing that might be helpful to ask is what training your therapist has. There are coaches, therapists, psychotherapists, psychologists, life coaches, doctors and counsellors out there. Depending on what kind of education they have and in which country they’re educated in it can be small or large differences. Since there are some overlap between several of these professions it can be good to ask your therapist about what they can/ are allowed to help you with and establish the limitations of their profession. This is usually something that your therapist will talk to you about and you will be able to ask questions as well. There are differences between coaching, counseling and therapy and therefore it can be good to ask your therapist about this so you’re able to get the kind of help you want. Since there are so many different educations and Barcelona is the home of many nationalities and expats the best thing is to ask your therapist about their educational and professional background. 

The thing that many clients find to be the most important is that they feel a safe connection with their therapist, and this is something that your gut feeling most likely will tell you. So to answer the question, yes it matters whom you will see but maybe what matters the most is that you feel that you’ve found someone that you trust and that can help you with your specific process. We might need different kinds of help in different areas or periods of our lives as well.

What do I need to prepare before starting therapy?

Usually you don’t have to prepare anything before starting therapy. The first sessions you will most likely talk about the focus and setting of the therapy work with your therapist. It can be good to think about a goal that you want to have with your therapy but it’s also something that you will explore together with your therapist so no worries if you find it difficult to think of something specific!

Hi, my name is Anna Kindvall and I’m a Swedish psychologist based in Barcelona. I offer therapy and counselling in Swedish and English from my office 5 minutes from Plaça de Catalunya as well as online.