Have you ever wondered what kind of client a therapist loves to work with? Don’t worry; there’s no such thing as a “perfect client.” (And, we hate to spoil the illusion, but there’s no such thing as a “perfect therapist” either.) Instead, there’s sometimes the perfect match between your needs and their skills. Much of therapy happens in the relationship between therapist and client. And luckily, each therapist is different, so each client can find someone who is perfect for them.
What Types of Clients Do Therapists Love Working With?
In our Conversations With Clinicians series, we asked our some our therapists who they most love working with. Who is their ideal client? Remember, of course, that these therapists each work with a diverse array of people. If you don’t match their ideal, it doesn’t mean that they can’t help you or that they won’t love working with you. However, their answers can give you a lot of insight into the work they most enjoy doing. If one of them resonates with you, then that could be the therapist for you. You might also want to check our our article on Finding The Ideal Therapist to learn more about choosing the right fit.
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Some Of The Clients That Therapists Love
So, with that in mind, here’s what some of our therapists had to say about the clients they love to work with. You might find yourself surprised by some of their answers!
1. Some Therapists Like Working With Spirituality and Mindfulness
Olivia Fae Stadler says that she loves working with, “Clients interested in mindfulness, who are curious about deepening into their current experience, their body, their relationships, and their spirituality.”
2. Some Therapists Like Working With Introverts
April Snow loves to work with “Highly Sensitive Introverts who are ambitious and have big dreams for themselves but feel too overwhelmed to follow through or too worried to step outside the norm to live life on their own terms.”
3. Some Therapists Like Working With Body-Minded People
Io Bones likes working with “Movers, dancers, and the body-curious, people with an interest in developing a deeper relationship with their physical selves. I also enjoy working with clients who want to take a closer look at how they do relationships.”
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4. Some Therapists Enjoy Working With Women and Couples
Julia Ward says, “I love working with women across the lifespan: young women coming into their adult selves; women experiencing changes in their bodies and moods in mid-life; aging women reflecting on a life lived so far and looking to the life ahead of them.”
She adds, “I also love working with couples in second marriages/partnerships, blended families, and separated couples with co-parenting struggles. This is something that speaks to me both personally and professionally.”
5. Some Therapists Love Working With People Motivated to Change
Connor Moss shares, “I love helping people who are motivated to make a change in their life, people connected with their passion and inspiration who know that their true potential surpasses their current life circumstance. I work well with people who are tired of their old stuck patterns, who see a better life for themselves, and are ready to get on with the work necessary to get there.”
6. Some Therapists Love Helping Those Who Have Gone Through Trauma
Colette Mercier says, “I love working with those whose sense of themselves has been impacted by trauma in their early life. I also love working with those who are open to working with body awareness and mindfulness.”
She adds, “I love couples work. I invite couples to do little experiments where the couple gets to try different ways of expressing themselves, listening, connecting and relating. I teach how to identify underlying needs in relationships and navigate communication, closeness and distance.”
7. Some Therapists Love Working With Individuals About Their Relationships
Chris Swayne says, “I love working with folks who are struggling with relationships, be they in them or wanting them or grieving the loss of them. I love working with the couple that’s in a rut and can’t see a way to better communicate, have better sex, or find ways to make time for themselves individually within the relationship. I love working with that person who’s stuck in their head and can’t seem to quiet their inner critic. I love working with folks who have some intellectual understanding of what’s going on but can’t find a way to shift their emotional experience. I love working with seekers, thinkers, folks navigating difficult work environments, and those coping with high-stress careers.”
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8. Some Therapists Like To Help People Who Worry They Are “Too Much”
Stephanie Bain loves “working with individuals who have been told they’re “too sensitive” or “too much,” or have felt misunderstood or feel alienated from the mainstream or partners looking for a therapist who “gets it.”
And also says, “Activists, queers, poly + kinky partners, those with strong beliefs and intense emotions, and highly sensitive types are my people.”
9. Some Therapists Love Working With People Who Are Afraid That Therapy Isn’t For Them
Ayala Kalisher shares, “I love working with people who are afraid their lived experience will be too outside the box to be honest with about in therapy. Who are worries a traditional therapist might not “get them”. I love working together and figuring out how we can make therapy a safe place for all parts of you.”
She adds, “I also love working with folks struggling with issues around sex. I know this can be an uncomfortable or often taboo subject for many so it often gets left out of what we think of to bring into therapy. Many of my clients come to me for an issue around their sexuality and then recognize how many other aspects of their life it actually is connected to. Some of the things my clients seek me out for are shame around sex, disassociation or pain during sex, or reclaiming your relationship to your sexuality after trauma or sexual assault. I want to help you find a relationship to your body and sexuality that feels good to you.
And she wants you to know, “In addition I love working with current or past sex workers. Sex does not need to have anything with the work we do together. I recognize that this is your career and will impact your life like any career but not be the whole of your life. I am passionate about making sure sex workers have access to supportive non-judgmental therapy just like anyone else.”
The right therapist is out there waiting for you. Find them now in our therapist directory.