As a consumer of services, which is what "therapy" or "counselling" really is, you have a right to ask questions, you have a right to get answers to those questions and you have a right to as much information about your counsellor or therapist as you can access through means known as "public record". In the next paragraphs, I'm going to give you a few tips, a few pieces of information you might not have been given before, and a few thoughts about some things that you may not have known you have a right to access and check out. Any information I offer is purely for your consideration; it is your decision whether or not these things are important to you. Sometimes they might be, sometimes not. Feel free to pass anything you find helpful along to others, and similarly, feel free to disregard anything that you feel is irrelevant to your situation. One of the first things a therapist learns is that it is most beneficial to the therapeutic relationship to "demystify the process". What exactly does that mean? It means that as the consumer, you have a right to know, and to have things explained to you in a way that you can understand that allows you to make decisions for yourself, about your treatment and the ability of your therapist to serve you well. "What methods or models do you use, how do they work, what kinds of conditions does your technique work best for?" would be examples of things your therapist should be willing and able to answer without becoming defensive. Some therapists will say, for example, that they treat addictions. Ask about their definition and beliefs about addiction. There are vast professional differences in opinion regarding addiction, treatment and causes. But if they say they "treat" addiction, then you can also ask how they would "treat" addiction. They might have some sort of alcohol and drug certificate. An alcohol and drug certificate does not require a Master's degree, or even a Bachelor's degree. There is a lot of good information available online, by phone and public record. These sources are worth checking out.

Is there a difference between "a therapist" and "a counsellor"? The short answer is "it depends"! Often people who describe themselves as "a counsellor" may or may not have a degree, or any type of legitimate certification. Or they might have a graduate degree and choose to identify as a counsellor, because their certification delineates them as such.  A "therapist" is more than likely a person who has an advanced degree, at a minimum a Master's degree. Essentially the issue is semantic; bureaucratic regulations vary on who can use what terminology. The different professional bodies argue about who can call themselves what. It is known as "a guild issue". Is one better than the other? Not necessarily. As we said, there may not actually be a difference! Again, it depends on what you need, and what it is that the individual is qualified to provide in terms of treatment. However, a "therapist" might be an individual who has a doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology. On the other hand, an individual might have a doctoral degree (a PhD), but it could be in finger painting....so you would be wise to check to make sure they have a doctoral degree in a field that will be relevant to you and your treatment. What matters most is the fit between you and your chosen practitioner, and their adherence to professional and ethical codes regarding the practice of counselling.

A couple more important pieces of information for anyone to know and to consider when seeking support are that it is difficult to "make" anyone see a therapist, so if you are researching this because you think someone else needs help, you may be right, but they may not want it. Accurate information is always good to have, although not all information is accurate, so your research will probably benefit you, but maybe not another person at this time.

Every individual has rights, and I encourage everyone to find out about and act upon those rights. Being a therapist or a counsellor is not a right: It is a privilege. Therapists should always adhere to the commitment we made to serve our clients and to live by the dictum "First do no harm". You have a right to be treated with respect at all times and so does your therapist. Being in relationship with your therapist there is an understanding that either one of you can terminate the relationship at any time. Communication is encouraged, and when you disagree with your therapist you can say so; in fact that would be ideal and a wonderful opportunity to strengthen the therapeutic relationship! You have the right to be included in and consulted about all aspects of your own treatment. After all, it is your life. It is your experience. So who would know about you better than you? Working with a therapist is collaboration, a joint venture, a team effort.  Whatever your reason for visiting this site, I hope that some of what you have read has been helpful. If it has, please feel free to share it. Nothing about how therapy works should be mysterious. The more people understand the better. Thank you.