“Finding a Competent Mental Health Professional”
Sadly, not all people in the helping profession are helpful, in fact, some are problematic. There are several things that can help when you are looking for a suitable professional:
1. Firstly, the more expensive professionals are not always the best.
2. Ask friends and family if they have someone they recommend, this can be helpful but it is not a guarantee.
3. The person should be part of a professional body, such as the New Zealand Association of Counselling (NZAC)
4. Do you feel they listen to you or your children, do they show empathy and do they really care?
5. Christians will ask should I only see Christian therapists, in an ideal world, yes, every Christian should see a competent Christian professional. The reality is in New Zealand there are not enough Christian therapists to meet the need.
6. If someone has a serious mental illness, a competent professional is more important than them being Christian.
7. It is also worth noting that just because someone is Christian, it does not make them a good therapist.