The Client's Guide to Therapy: How to Get the Most out of Your Counseling Experience

by Terri S. Watson

Overview

Get the most from your counseling experience with tips from an expert Christian counselor.

Deciding to meet with a professional counselor is a major step for personal mental health. But what comes next? Some people are unsure how the therapy process works, some have had negative experiences, and some simply want to know they're benefiting as much as possible from the time and resources they invest.

In this accessible, information-packed guide, Christian psychologist Terri Watson provides an expert's perspective on how to get the most out of your counseling experience. Readers will find a wealth of wisdom, including:

• advice for looking into options for counseling
• how to find a counselor who's a good fit
• what to expect during and after counseling
• how to get the most out of your sessions and the therapy process
• expert tips on mental health care
• insights on the role of faith and common questions Christians ask

For any Christian considering or receiving clinical mental health care, as well as mental health professionals and those who make referrals, The Client's Guide to Therapy is an encouraging and helpful companion.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781514008829
Publisher:	InterVarsity Press
Publication date:	04/08/2025
Pages:	168
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.41(d)

About the Author

Terri S. Watson (PsyD, ABPP) is a professor of psychology at Wheaton College. She is also a board-certified clinical psychologist, an approved clinical supervisor with the Center for Credentialing and Education, and an approved supervisor with the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. She maintains a private practice and provides supervision and clinical consultation for community and private organizations.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
Getting Started
1. How Can Psychotherapy Help?: Contemplating the Counseling Journey
2. Choosing a Therapist as a Trustworthy Guide
3. Beginning Well and the Importance of the Therapy Relationship
4. A User's Guide to Psychotherapy: Mapping Out the Counseling Process
5. You Are Here: How to Gain the Most from Your Psychotherapy Experience
6. Navigating Detours and Impasses Throughout the Counseling Journey
7. Ending Well
Against an Infinite Horizon
General Index
Scripture Index

Editorial Reviews

"A necessary and empowering resource for anyone considering counseling and hoping to enter a meaningful and healing therapy journey. Dr. Terri Watson intentionally guides the reader through each step of the therapy process, while giving careful consideration to both the dynamics of the therapeutic relationship and a holistic understanding of suffering and the change process."

Amanda M. Blackburn

"Where do I even begin to try to find help? Do I need a Christian therapist? How do I know if I'm making progress? Dr. Watson tackles questions such as these with compassion, clarity, and a deep understanding of what potential or current clients need to know in order to find the best possible counselor for themselves as well as how to make the most of their therapeutic journey. A must-read!"

Heather Davediuk Gingrich

"For many, the decision to include a psychotherapist to journey through life's mystery, tragedy, and pain carries many questions and prompts hesitation. In The Client's Guide to Therapy, Dr. Terri Watson provides clarification, instills courage, and creates hope. Many who have observed the field of psychology and counseling for decades know Dr. Watson as the 'therapist among us.' It is fitting that she offers wisdom to any who are contemplating the journey within."

James Sells

"Dr. Watson has provided a wonderful guide for the discernment of whether one needs professional counseling, how to choose a competent professional, and how to make the most of one's counseling journey. Even after being in the field for fifteen years, I benefited much from her wisdom and guidance and will recommend this broadly to friends and family members."

Eric M. Brown

"Musicians understand their work is bigger than playing chords on a guitar, so they rely on intuitive, soulful presence to bring life to their art. Similarly, Dr. Terri Watson's latest book is technically excellent—drawing on current research and articulating the psychotherapy process with precision—but even more, she demonstrates the artistic wisdom of a seasoned clinician and educator. Yes, this is a vital book for those considering counseling or psychotherapy, but it is also important that we therapists read it to remember who we are and why we do this work."

Mark R. McMinn