I’m excited to be consulting with a new startup called CounsellingMatch.

CounsellingMatch is an online counselling search engine that tries to do something different: connecting counsellors and clients based on personality fit.

The team behind CounsellingMatch has reviewed research suggesting that good client-counsellor fit can lead to better outcomes. This research indicates that, with a good match, there’s a greater chance that the treatment approach selected by the counsellor will work well with the client; therefore, more effective therapy can be delivered earlier in the therapeutic relationship.

For clients, the CounsellingMatch approach aims to remove some of the guesswork when finding a counsellor. Instead of browsing through an overwhelming list of counsellor profiles, the CounsellingMatch search guides clients through a refinement process that leads to a short-list of well-matched counsellors who are ranked, in part, by personality fit. The CounsellingMatch team believes that this process can reduce the stress of finding an appropriate counsellor.

As a counsellor, I welcome this approach, because providing therapy that is helpful to my clients is my top priority, plus a good fit feels good for me, too. I hope that the CounsellingMatch service will improve the overall therapeutic experience for both counsellors and clients.

Clients can search for counsellors at www.counsellingmatch.com, and counsellors can create their listing for a free trial period.