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title: "How to Choose a Therapist | Sharon Meyers, LCSW"
description: "Fit matters more than credentials — questions worth asking, how to tell after a few sessions, and permission to leave. A plain guide from a California therapist."
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![How to Choose a Therapist](/assets/hero-home-BUJxLEX-.jpg)

Guide

# How to Choose a Therapist 

Choosing a therapist is oddly high-stakes shopping. You are picking the person you may eventually tell things you have told no one, mostly on the basis of a photo and a paragraph. Here is what actually matters, and how to tell whether you have found it.

## Fit Matters More Than Credentials 

Credentials matter — you want someone licensed, trained, and accountable to a board. But after that threshold, the research is remarkably consistent: the quality of the relationship predicts the outcome more than the particular method. The right therapist for you is the one you can gradually be honest with.

So read profiles less like resumes and more like voices. Does this person sound like someone you could talk to? That instinct is data.

## Questions Worth Asking 

A consultation call is yours as much as theirs. Useful questions: Have you worked with what I am dealing with? How would you describe your approach? What would the first few months look like? What are your fees, and do you offer a sliding scale? A good therapist will answer plainly and will not be ruffled by any of it.

Also notice the small things: Do you feel rushed? Talked down to? Heard? Your nervous system is gathering information the whole time.

## How to Tell, and Permission to Leave 

Give it a few sessions — the first one or two are rarely representative. The signs of a good fit are quiet ones: you feel a little more honest each week, you think about things between sessions, you can disagree with your therapist and nothing terrible happens.

And if it is not working, you are allowed to leave. You do not need a dramatic reason or a careful exit speech. A decent therapist would rather hear it is not a fit than have you quietly disappear — and many of us will help you find someone better suited.

## Related Reading

-   [What to Expect in Your First Session Read more → ](/guides/what-to-expect-in-your-first-session)
-   [Therapy or Coaching? Read more → ](/guides/therapy-vs-coaching)
-   [Does Online Therapy Work? Read more → ](/guides/does-online-therapy-work)

Sharon Meyers is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker offering telehealth sessions to adults located anywhere in California.

In Case of Emergency

This website is for informational purposes only. This practice is not a crisis service. If you are experiencing a mental health emergency, please do not wait for a reply.

-   Call [911](tel:911) or go to your nearest emergency room if you are in immediate danger.
-   Call or text [988](tel:988) to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
-   Text HOME to [741741](sms:741741) to reach the Crisis Text Line.

## The right fit is worth taking seriously. 

If you would like to see whether we fit, reach out for a free 15-minute consultation.

[Schedule a Free Consultation](/begin-here)

### Sharon Meyers Therapy

LCSW #106887  
Online therapy throughout California  
Office located in Berkeley, CA

Quick Links

-   [Home](/)
-   [About](/about)
-   [Specialties](/specialties)
-   [FAQ](/faq)
-   [Blog](/blog)
-   [Contact](/begin-here)
-   [Therapy For](/therapy-for)
-   [Online Therapy](/online-therapy)
-   [Guides](/guides)

Contact

-   [(415) 335-7446](tel:4153357446)
-   [sharon@sharonmeyerstherapy.com](mailto:sharon@sharonmeyerstherapy.com)

[Psychology Today](https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/sharon-meyers-berkeley-ca/1080260)

**In case of emergency:** call or text [988](tel:988) or go to your nearest emergency room. This website is for informational purposes only.

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