Does modality matter?

When finding a therapist, does it matter what their modality is?

Recently, I noticed that many new clients are requesting a specific modality when searching for a therapist. This got me wondering, is it a good idea for clients to specifically ask for the therapy modality they feel would fit them and their problems best? After all, all therapists want to help their patient, so does it matter what modality the therapist operate on? I invite you to read further on my thoughts.

Can I ask for a specific therapy modality?

Short answer: YES!

I truly support client’s autonomy when it comes to their treatment, and I absolutely believe that clients know best what would be helpful to them on their therapy journey.

With that being said, I am curious about the story of how my clients came to figure out which modality they specifically want.

If the story is that you did research and have a good enough understanding of what kind of therapy you will be receiving then you are making an informed decision. An informed decision will really help minimize any surprise or disappointment with therapy, and a good basis for a first conversation.

If on the other hand, you received your idea from social media then I would want to help you through this a little more. I notice that there has been a trend of mental health therapy information disseminated through snack size short form content from both mental health professionals and people who have been through therapy. Although, I absolutely appreciate that more people are aware of mental health services and modality, I think the exposure to therapy ideas without a strong disclaimer can have unintended effects.

But I digress - I think it’s wonderful when a client comes in already knowing what therapy modality they want, and that want should be the basis for a conversation. As a therapist, my first conversation with you, whether you fall into the first or second camp would be understanding what ideas or expectations you have attached to this modality. There can be space to discuss questions you may have. There can be space to discuss how I can meet or NOT meet those expectations (and dispelled any confusion about therapy that you may have learned from social media as well).

Won’t any modality be effective in helping me?

I like to imagine therapy kind of like a trip. On this trip from Milwaukee to Chicago, there are multiple choices for transport: car, bus, plane, walking etc. On this trip, there are also many choices for who goes with you. In this metaphor, the modality is the mode of transport, and the therapist is the person you choose to accompany you.

Similar to the different modes of transportation, there are different therapy modality because we know that not everyone will find just one way of doing things helpful. Different therapy modality will ask you to think about the problems and respond to the problems in different ways. It is to your benefit that you know ahead of time a little bit of how you want your therapy session to look like.

Now this is just as important, who you pick to be on this trip with you can make all the difference in how well/ how meaningful the “trip” is.

The foundation for a good therapy is the therapeutic relationship/ therapeutic alliance. in our society, we want something done and done well, which absolutely makes sense in many contexts. We identified a plumbing issue - we call a plumber. We identified a tooth issue - we see a dentist. We don’t need to have a deep, meaningful relationship with these individuals, as the relationship can function healthily by just being transactional.

In the context of therapy, we don’t have that privilege. You do need to have a deep, meaningful (professional) relationship as we dive into some really hard problems.

In Summary

In summary, yes you have the right to make an informed decision about your treatment. I would go further and challenge you to include in your decision making not just the modality but also the compability with the therapist. (Read my blog about choosing a therapist for more information on compatiblity:

https://www.narrativetherapymke.com/blog/whenfindingatherapist

Hello,

I am a therapist, based out of Milwaukee, WI. My work is informed by the Narrative Therapy perspective. I believe that the stories we tell ourselves are an essential part of working through the problems in our lives. If you resonated with anything written here and want to connect, please feel free to reach out to me via my contact page.