If you've ever tried to find a therapist online, you've probably noticed that every profile says roughly the same thing. "Non-judgmental space." "I help you navigate challenges." "Together, we'll work towards your goals." It's not that these things are wrong — it's that they don't tell you anything useful about whether this particular person will actually help you.
Here's what actually matters.
Look for specificity, not warmth
Any good therapist is warm. Warmth is table stakes. What you're looking for is someone who's specific about who they work with and what they do. "I work with adults navigating relationship patterns rooted in early attachment" is more useful than "I help people become their best selves."
Specificity usually means experience. A therapist who can name what they're good at has probably done enough of that work to know.
Check their approach — and Google it
Most therapists list their modalities: CBT, ACT, psychodynamic, person-centred, EMDR. If you don't know what these mean, look them up. It takes five minutes and it'll help you understand whether their way of working resonates with what you're looking for.
"CBT is structured and focused on thoughts and behaviour. Psychodynamic is more exploratory — it looks at patterns and where they came from. Neither is better. They suit different people and different problems."
Use the discovery call — that's what it's for
Most therapists offer a free 15-minute call before you commit. Use it. Don't just ask about availability and fees. Ask them what their sessions are typically like. Ask how they'd approach what you're dealing with.
You're not looking for a perfect answer — you're looking for whether you feel heard. That matters more than credentials.
It's okay if the first one isn't right
Therapeutic fit is real. The research on it is clear: the quality of the relationship between therapist and client is one of the strongest predictors of outcome. If something feels off after a few sessions, it's worth naming that — or finding someone else.
This isn't failure. It's just finding the right fit.
At Mindworks, the 15-minute discovery call exists precisely for this reason. It's a no-pressure conversation to see if we're a good fit before you commit to anything. You can book one here.