“How do I dump my therapist without it being weird?”

Find a therapist, know what to look for and navigate therapy from your first email to your final session.

Where do people actually find their therapists? Do they use Google, rub a magic lamp, or ask a friend of a friend’s wife who swears by hers? (Hint: therapists don’t vanish after three sessions.) Next question: What’s the difference between sitting in a therapist’s office and a doctor’s office—besides the extra pillows? Final question: When is the right time to end therapy? Is it when you run out of things to say, run out of copays, or when your therapist smiles proudly and says, “We’re done here”? Navigating Therapy: From First Email to Final Session is for anyone preparing to start therapy—or already attending—who wants to understand their part in the process. Therapy is a collaborative effort, and this workbook helps you find a practitioner, assess whether they suit you and take an active role in your sessions.

Inside, you’ll find:

• Directories for finding therapists in the US, the UK, France, Belgium and Canada

• Guidance on narrowing your search according to what matters to you

• Red and green flags to look for when choosing a therapist

• Ready-to-use email templates for starting and ending therapy

• Guidance on deciding when to bring therapy to a close

• Reflection questions to help you clarify your preferences and work through what you’ve learned