What to ask a therapist during your free consultation call
Starting therapy for the first time ever or for the first time with a new therapist can be overwhelming. This is one reason that so many therapists offer a free consultation call, prior to scheduling the first appointment, to see if you may be a good fit for one another and to answer any questions you have. Below are some questions that can be helpful to ask your potential therapist to get an idea of whether you may be a good fit.
Do you accept insurance/what is your fee? It should say this on their website, but it’s helpful to lead with this, especially if the price point is a make-or-break for scheduling a session. You can also ask if there are any sliding scale options. This is when therapists are able to offer fees that are lower than their full fee.
What issues do you specialize in? If you’re coming to therapy for a specific issue, it can be reassuring to work with a therapist who knows the ins and outs of what you’re struggling with.
Do you work with other people like me? Similar to the above question, it may give you reassurance knowing that a therapist works with other people who are going through what you’re going through.
What is your rescheduling/cancelation policy? It should say this in the intake paperwork (should you decide to move forward with scheduling an appointment) but oftentimes the intake paperwork is lengthy and you may forget to look.
Do you self-disclose with clients? Each therapist will approach this differently. Some therapists are very relational and share things with clients about their own lives/experiences when appropriate; others keep strict boundaries between personal life and professional; and others are in between.
How often will we meet? Some therapists are fine with meeting as needed right off the bat, whereas other therapists will expect you to meet regularly for a certain amount of time first. Some therapists only have availability to take on a client who is coming every other week vs. every week.
How long will I be in therapy for? You can also ask, if you’ve already asked Question 2, how long people with this particular issue are typically in therapy for. The answer will likely be a range.
What is the first therapy session like? Each therapist will have a different answer. Just knowing this might lower some anxiety leading up to the first session!
Can I contact you between sessions? Some therapists offer phone check-ins or email check-ins between sessions, and it differs whether this is included in the session fee or if there is an additional fee. It’s nice to know off the bat what to expect, especially if you know that you are someone who will need additional support between sessions.