Are you looking for a therapist? If you are starting your journey with therapy or are looking for a new therapist, it may seem overwhelming. When looking for a new therapist, it could be like trying on a new pair of jeans; one size does not fit all! When looking for a new therapist, you want to make sure the therapist is the right fit for you. I have provided some questions that I hope will help you gain a professional relationship with your therapist, better understand what your therapist can provide, and increase your comfortability with your therapy experience. Below you will find questions that you can ask during your first point of contact before scheduling an appointment and also during your initial session(s) after scheduling your initial appointment.
1. Do you accept my insurance?
2. Do you have availability? If not, can you refer me to someone?
3. What’s the intake process like?
4. What are your credentials?
5. What is your experience as a mental health professional?
6. How long have you been practicing as a mental health professional?
7. Do you have any specific certifications and/or trainings?
8. What is your therapeutic approach?
9. How long are your sessions?
10. How can I contact you outside of my session?
11. Are you open to my feedback if a strategy isn’t working for me?
12. Is it possible to meet online or over the phone?
13. Do I need to purchase anything to go along with my sessions?
14. What is your approach to confidentiality?
Hopefully, having a list of questions to ask your therapist helps calm any nervousness that provokes from starting sessions with a new therapist. Of course, this is not an exhausted list of questions, so please feel free to add to this list. It may encourage you to think of other questions.