By Lydia Sterry | Submitted 2023
Calling a therapist for the first time can be a significant step towards seeking help and support for your mental health.
Have you considered what things you might say over the phone to potential therapists, what questions might you ask, what might you need to look out for, what might you need to be aware of?
Thinking about all of this can be quite confusing for some. This little article is designed to cover a few tips and pointers to prepare you to make the call.
Having selected a potential therapist list, it might be a good idea to speak over the phone to all of them. Once on the phone, you may want to share a little about your present struggles/issues and see how you and the therapist respond to each other.
Here are some important questions to consider asking a potential therapist.
I was wondering where you trained?
We might want to be mindful that the top universities may not necessarily have quality therapists. So, when asking this, it’s not that you’re looking for a certain answer but that you want to know they have attended an accredited school rather than obtaining an online coaching certificate.
What problems do you specialise in?
It might be worth being aware of people who specialize in everything. We can't be all things to all people. You may want to ask if they have worked with people with problems you’re currently struggling with. Take the time to research and find a therapist who specializes in the area you're seeking help with. Consider factors such as their expertise, experience, approach, and any specific qualifications that may be important to you. Remember to determine the type of therapy you’re looking for. Different therapists practice various therapeutic approaches. Research and consider which type of therapy aligns with your needs, such as existential, cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), psychodynamic therapy, or mindfulness-based therapy.
Could we have a mini open and honest conversation right now?
When you call the therapist, try to be open and honest about your concerns, emotions, and reasons for seeking therapy. The more transparent you are, the better the therapist can understand your situation and see if you may be a good fit.
Can you tell me a bit about your training background?
If they mentioned what they’re trained in, you may want to find out if it was a one-day seminar and, or, if they took a three-hour online course. If they are calling themselves an expert in a modality after such a short training, it might be worth considering someone with a more solid qualification. Overall finding out their exact academic accomplishment from the start maybe worth it. You may even want to ask them to email you their certificates if needed.
How do you keep your license up to date?
If the therapist your calling is not actively involved with professional development courses, you may want to find out why. As part of being a member of all therapy associations there is normally twenty hours of professional development that need to be undertaken. You may then want to ask if they are actively taking courses that are current and up to date with what is happening in the therapy world.
How do you typically approach a client’s problem?
There are so many variations to this question, so you may want to listen out for any specific details. However typical answers may involve using empathy, active listening, challenging, reflecting etc.. while in deep engaged conversations.
What is your success rate with other clients with these types of problems?
(after mentioning the areas you are struggling with)By asking the therapist what his/her success rate is, is a useful question is to ask. You could be more specific and ask for a rough percentage of their ‘drop out rate’. It’s not that you are judging the therapist by asking this question, but you could explain how you’re simply trying to identify if you have a chance to succeed with the approach they’re offering. Asking for their honest opinion is worth a shot.
How long have you been working as a therapist?
Some believe therapists are born not made. Therefore, if we go with this for a minute, we might want to disregard the level of experience and except how there might be naturally talented therapists out there. However, should you find yourself wanting to unpack quite difficult issues/problems, you may want to seek a more experienced therapist. Lastly, you may want to ask about the psychotherapist/counsellor’s experience over the years. Keep in mind how experience does not come by only with years. You might also want to find out how many sessions they have had on a daily or weekly basis with clients.
What Governing Bodies or Insurances are you registered with?
Most therapists are associated with an organisation. Being affiliated with an organisation could help to; ensure the therapist has met in-depth educational requirements, is up-to-date in their training, and is held to a code of ethics when dealing with clients.
Most qualified therapists are registered members of an association such as the UKCP, PACFA, ACA etc… If they say they are registered, it might be worth looking up the registration to make sure. There are some therapists who are not registered sometimes but still practice. So, you may want to search online to confirm their registration. While you’re there you may also want to find out if they have any infractions against them. If they do, you could explain to the therapist how you found this out and how you’re just curious to know a little more about it.
Some qualified therapists may not be registered with an organisation and prefer to be registered with relevant health insurances instead. These therapists tend to be affiliated with universities and/or have been practicing in the field for over thirty years.
Remember to check their credentials. Ensure that the therapist you choose is licensed and accredited by the relevant professional bodies or associations in your country. This confirms that they have met the necessary standards and adhere to ethical guidelines.
Have you ever been in therapy?
This maybe one of the most important questions you could ask a therapist. It’s not ideally recommended to start therapy with someone who hasn't had their own therapy. In fact, it might be more beneficial if they have had long term therapy. This would typically mean that they’ve had over and maybe above 700 hundred hours of therapy. It might also be beneficial if they’re actually the type of therapist who would consider popping back into therapy short term if the need arises. That way any issues they may be struggling with, may less likely spill over into your sessions.
Do you have a set fee or a sliding scale?
You may want to consider asking about the fees before you start. If you like everything about the person, but the rate is more than you can manage, it may be worth sharing this. If they can’t slide to your budget, you may want to ask if they are registered with your health insurance. Sometimes you may be able to claim something back depending on your level of cover.
On a side note if this fails, you could always try to get in contact with someone who is still in training and who is under supervision with an experienced supervisor. Certain trainee work for non-profit organisations and may charge very low rates.
Try to determine whether you prefer in-person sessions, online therapy, or a combination of both to reduce travel costs.
What availability do you have?
Practicality matters, like negotiating an acceptable fee, the location and finding a time that is mutually convenient. These may all seem relatively minor concerns, but proximity, flexibility and/or affordability could turn out to be major deterrents. Having a conversation about these matters with the therapist from the start maybe useful.
Frequency of sessions?
If you find yourself only able to commit to the therapy sessions on a monthly or fortnightly basis, change may be slow. Similarly, if you’re attending the therapy on an ad hoc basis, you may need to understand how the therapy process may take much longer to unfold. The typical scenario is that a client attends therapy on a weekly basis to gain the maximum benefit from the therapy and then reduces to fortnightly and then monthly sessions to finish. Saying that, there are so many frequency variations that suit different client’s needs that it’s not always so clear cut. You may need to then have a conversation with your therapist and work out which frequency may best suit your lifestyle and your issues/problems you’re facing.
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Remember therapy is a collaborative process, and finding the right professional for you is crucial. Trust your instincts when speaking to the therapist for the first time. Pay attention to how you feel during the conversation and whether you feel heard and understood.
By considering some of these points and any other questions that might be important to you, you could make a more informed decision when reaching out to a therapist for the first time.
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Should you find yourself wanting to know more information, simply contact progressiveprocess@live.com.au or click here.