The first thing you should ask when you find a nearby therapist that you are interested in working with is if they are currently accepting new clients. Many therapists have a limited amount of appointment slots available to best serve their clients. If they are accepting new patients, you can begin to have a small consultation over the phone to ask a few questions.
During your consultation, you may want to ask about some of the different ways that they conduct their treatments and other specific ways they can help people with the same therapy goals as you. If you are feeling uncomfortable about therapy, you should ask them for advice about building a strong therapeutic alliance.
If you can get a few minutes for a brief consultation, you can take the time to get to know the therapist before you agree to a meeting. This is the time to ask any questions that you may have about therapy. Here are some questions you may want to ask a therapist before setting up an appointment:
- Are they licensed to practice psychology in your state?
- How long have they been practicing?
- How experienced are they in treating the mental issue you are dealing with?
- Do they have any specializations or areas of expertise?
- How long is each session?
- How often can they see you for a therapy session?
- What kind of insurance do they accept?
Once you find a therapist and have had your first meeting, you should take some time to assess how you feel after the session. This is a good time to evaluate whether the therapist is someone you feel comfortable talking to. Think about how you felt during the session and whether you think the therapist is someone you will be able to trust.
Did you feel like your therapist was listening to your needs and setting reasonable goals for your treatment? Did your therapist push you or made you feel like you were being judged? If you are not comfortable, you may want to consider searching for another mental health professional that works better with you.
Therapy is not a one size fits all process, so it may take a few tries before you find a therapist you like. It is completely normal to still feel uncomfortable sharing intimate details after your first session. Go into your therapy sessions with reasonable expectations and be honest about your feelings for the best results.
By Admin –
