How do I choose which therapist or coach to see?
When more choice means it is harder to choose.
Researchers at Caltech used MRI scans and a selection of landscape pictures to determine the optimum number to have both choice and make a decision. Why Too Much Choice Is Bad (businessinsider.com). For pictures, it was 12, and retailers have long known that the positioning of products on shelves, the amount of choice, and location all make it easier or harder to choose.
So what does this mean for choosing your coach or therapist?
First, you may find it overwhelming to have too much choice and concerning to have too little choice. You can help yourself by noting what you do know. For instance, is it important that the person you see is close to your workplace or home? Do you know if you want a specific therapy modality, or are you more interested in how the person is with you? Knowing how much you expect to pay and the budget you are working to will factor into who you see. Or course availability is also important. Therapy tends to be weekly; coaching can be fortnightly, every three weeks, or monthly. Sometimes both can be one-off sessions too. Knowing your preference for when you meet and when you could meet will give you more opportunities.
Reflect on what has brought you to therapy or coaching. Are there specific areas that you want to focus on? For example, sometimes people’s heritage, gender, and background experience may be important to you because you want similarity or seek difference.
You don’t have to work with the first person you talk to or the first person you have an initial session with. So this is one relationship where you have a choice.
Contact by mail or phone several people and plan to meet up to 3 for an initial session, then choose. Most coaches and therapists are used to this and will be happy to work on this basis.
The websites, the conversations, how you feel in the person’s company, whether you felt able to say what you want, how you feel in mind and body - are all data and information you can use to make the decision.
Good luck in your exploration, and I hope you find your fit.