Red flags when looking for a Therapist

Here are the Red flags for a therapist, it is our personal and professional opinion.

Training

Training: In my opinion a therapist who has not engaged in continuous professional development is problematic. The field is changing and growing all the time at exponential degrees. A therapist who has not trained continuously may mean, 1. They may have become burnt out in their training period. I have heard some colleagues report, and PhD graduates report, they never wanted to hear about their thesis topics ever again. I have even heard very high-up administrative registered therapists report absolutely shocking dated information on the latest technologies of psychotherapy approaches in multimillion-dollar companies. These therapists I saw later as a trend did not engage in ongoing training or would only participate if the training was free or mandatory. These therapists I witnessed would become I felt mercenaries than actual helping therapists or simply business managers. However, therapists need to regularly upskill to protect their practice and to give back to our clients. Continuous learning is a testament of love to what we do and how we do it, and we need to be fully engaged, as active engagement is synonymous with caring. 2. They are more concerned with filling their time slots than they are actively with your care.

Scheduling

Scheduling: In my opinion, a therapist needs to be flexible. I have had my own experiences being in therapy, and as the therapeutic relationship has an inherent power differential, it is important this dynamic is neutralized with flexibility, humility, and an egalitarian approach so you can feel totally at ease with your sacred information. I have had supervisors and therapists stop exactly 50 minutes and not be concerned with how they are closing content. God forbid some past supervisors show up ten minutes late and leave ten minutes early, charging a whopping $225 for the 50 minutes. This was an awful experience, as I felt I was holding and closing my own sensitive material. Frankly, I have no idea how clinicians slot 5 to 8 clients a day exactly 50 minutes apart with 10 minutes to write their notes. In my opinion, rigidly prioritizing back-to-back schedules can sometimes risk compromising client-centered care. A therapist needs to be flexible. If a therapist is rigid and more concerned with their routine, I suggest looking elsewhere for care.

Summary:

Key red flags to watch for when choosing a therapist include a lack of continuous professional development and rigid, inflexible scheduling that prioritizes routine over patient care. A therapist who does not engage in ongoing training may possess outdated knowledge, while rigid scheduling often leads to impersonal, strict time management rather than client-centered care.

Stagnant Training: Outdated knowledge can indicate burnout or a focus on profit over patient care.

Rigid Scheduling: Strict back-to-back booking structures compromise client-centered, flexible care.

Routine Over Relationship: Prioritizing strict time slots fails to neutralize the therapeutic power differential.

Lee Park, RCT 25-002, MACP, BPsych Hons

Owner, Canada Online Therapy

www.canadaonlinetherapy.com

[email protected]

canadaonlinetherapy.janeapp.com

Call/text: (514) 746 4673

Fax: (800) 808 6629

First Published Sunday June 14 2026