Choosing the right therapist remains as a big obstacle towards getting the help from the problems they need. And just what are those problems? Anything and everything from wanting a better relationship to career counseling, from "in dire need of help" to just wanting an objective person to talk to. These issues have answers. Psychologists, counselors, and coaches are able to provide the help and support you need to get your life to where you want it... But where do you find one - the right one? And what is the right one?

A quick definition of each is in order.

Psychologists are a diverse bunch. Psychology itself is simply "studying the human mind". This is often done in research, in academia, and then applied in psychotherapy. Psychologists are academics. They study long and hard in accredited institutions and after that, the ones who pursue psychotherapy usually find themselves working in conjunction with a hospital or general practitioner who refers them patients. Because of the healthcare system which coordinates this process (and pays for a chunk of it) there is usually a wait, a lot of procedures, and little choice as to which psychologist you are to see.
Benefits: broad knowledge base, their credentials should attest to the fact that they hold a certain level of competence. Often sessions with a psychologist are paid for by your health insurance.
Disadvantages: there may be a good wait to get to see one and often little choice as to who you see. Just because they got good grades and studied for 6-8 years does not mean they have the inborn personality and character traits needed to deal with other people's personal issues...some things you just can't learn from books, so the quality issue is not solved by the diplomas and degrees.

Counselors too are diverse, not so much in the medium in which they practice (since by definition they are hold face to face sessions), but by their methodologies, levels of experience and qualifications. Counselors usually do not attend universities and colleges, but rather private institutions with their own unique methodologies and systems. These methodologies may be quite effective and credible but are usually not under the embrace of the scientific and academic communities. "Who cares?", you ask. Some people do, some don't. You'll need to make up your own mind. These institutions are also relatively quite practical when compared with traditional universities, giving much more focus to hands on training and experience as opposed to theory. "Who cares?" you ask? Some think a solid, scientific theoretical basis is essential, others believe that "you can't learn to box from a book". I'm sure they're both right, but you'll have to decide for yourself what works best for you.
Benefits: you work outside of the healthcare system and let consumerism take its course. Plenty to choose from and little to no waiting
Disadvantages: the process of selecting the right counselor may be more challenging (but also more rewarding). You'll also probably have to pay for most of it yourself.

Coaches, yes, are also diverse. Soccer teams and world leaders have coaches. Any "project" you want to do could potentially be coached - from getting your new business off the ground to losing 50 pounds. Coaches are more practical than psychologists or counselors, dealing more with goals that are fairly clear instead of feelings which are fairly vague and in that respect you can expect more "lists" and "planning" from a coach. Then again, you are still emotional, so a coach must still deal with the emotions involved in any human activity.
Benefits: Again, working outside a cumbersome healthcare system. They are also more results oriented, so progress can be expected quickly. They also can be effective over the phone, which allows for greater frequency and availability.
Disadvantages: Again, varying degrees of quality. Though not the fault of the coaches, many people seek coaches who are just too afraid to go to psychologists - this means that the idea of helping you get what you want actually requires you first to figure that out, and coaches aren't traditionaly built for that. Since they aren't covered by insurance policies, you'll be paying well for their services.

However you slice it, you need to shop around. One man's savior is another man's waste of time and money. This applies to all service professionals in any industry - from surgeons to plumbers. Though this remains an issue, slowly but surely the light is being shone on the better, more effective therapists. Quality and excellence, by definition, are hard to come by, so don't be put off by therapy being human like any other profession. We expect you'll find a good round up of quality professionals at www.liquic.com