Practical tips:
· Look into who accepts your insurance
· Location of office (if that is important to you)
· Availability – Do you prefer someone who has weekends or evenings openings?
Ask if they can talk over the phone for 10-15 min and ask some questions:
Start by briefly explaining what are your main concerns and ask how the potential therapist would work with you on addressing these issues. Look for if they heard/understood you or did they try to push for their own agenda? Listen also to what approach the therapist will use in their work with you. Do they give homework or teach practical tips and strategies? Do they have experience working with these concerns? They may be structured and plan an agenda for each session or leave it up to you to pick what you’d like to focus on in each session.
It’s important to recognize that no one approach is the best fit for everyone – you’re listening to if their approach to change and growth aligns with your own beliefs about growth.
Next, ask how do they take in/make room for feedback. Therapy is entering a relationship and it should make space for you to offer your therapist feedback, especially if you feel misunderstood. Misunderstandings need to be addressed and seeing how the therapist responds to your feedback will tell you a lot.
How do they build trust and a safe space in their work? For therapy to be effective, you have to feel comfortable sharing very intimate details and emotions about your life. Listen for the potential therapist’s approach to building the relationship and see if it matches what you’re looking for in a potential therapist. Are you looking for a relational approach or someone who focuses more on just addressing your presenting concerns? A good personality match between you and your therapist is an important part of a successful treatment.
Finally, feel free to ask some philosophical or personal questions directly. The potential therapist’s response will give you a sense of whether your outlook and values are in alignment. Some potential questions you can ask include:
How do you define mental health?
What do you believe helps people grow and change?
How does your approach different from that of other therapists?
Why did you become a therapist?
An experienced therapist can change and adapt their style to fit the Client’s need but one therapist won’t be a perfect fit for every Client. Make sure you take some time before scheduling the intake to determine if your potential therapist is a good fit for you!