If you’ve been checking out therapists’ listings, you’ll see that most therapists, myself included, offer a free consultation. Here’s a little more information about free consultations, what you can expect from them, and how you can (and should!) use them to find the right therapist for yourself.
If you’re new to therapy, it may seem daunting, perhaps a little scary. Who is this person I’m going to be sharing my personal stuff with? Will they judge me? Will they be able to help me? What can I expect when I have a session? And perhaps many other questions.
An important thing to remember is that while we therapists have a certain set of skills to help you with your challenges, YOU are the boss of the therapist-client relationship. I support you in choosing a therapist with whom you feel comfortable and from whom you feel you’re getting positive value. The free consultation can help you determine which therapist seems like a potential good fit for you.
When I give a consultation, I like to offer three things. First, it’s an opportunity for you to tell me about your challenges, in whatever level of detail you feel comfortable with. Some folks go into detail, some folks share a general overview. Whatever you’d like to share is perfect. Second, it’s a chance to get a feel for how I work, my vibe, and how it feels to talk to me. As you share, I will reflect back what I’m hearing from you. I may ask questions or offer a tentative interpretation. The consultation is not a therapy session, so we won’t go too deep, but I will let you know ideas that occur to me for what we could focus on together, and how I think I can help you. Third, you can ask me any questions you have – about me, my training, my approach to therapy and how I work, how I think I can help you and why, my fees, my background… The consultation call is a chance for you to get whatever information you want to help you decide on a therapist.
When choosing a therapist, there are a couple of factors you can consider. I think it’s important to pick someone with whom you feel comfortable, someone you feel like talking to. Having consultations with several therapists is a great idea so you can get a feel for their different styles and personalities, and see what feels inviting to you. I want you to find someone you feel you can build an alliance with to help you with your challenges.
Another factor you may want to consider is the type of therapy you’d like to try. There are tons, and Psychology Today has a great list of descriptions. Don’t worry if it feels overwhelming. Studies repeatedly show that the type of therapy is less important that the quality of your alliance with your therapist (1) (2), so if learning about all the different types of therapy feels daunting, skip it! You can focus on finding someone you just like the feel of.
Finally, Jeff Guenther, a therapist in Portland, OR, has a superb “Beginners Guide to Therapy,” including great insight in picking a therapist and a brilliant list of questions you can ask during your consultation call.
As always, I welcome your inquiries and thoughts, and yes, you can reach out for a free consultation call! 🙂
References:
- Ardito RB, Rabellino D. Therapeutic alliance and outcome of psychotherapy: historical excursus, measurements, and prospects for research. Front Psychol. 2011 Oct 18;2:270.
- Stubbe DE. The Therapeutic Alliance: The Fundamental Element of Psychotherapy. Focus (Am Psychiatr Publ). 2018 Oct;16(4):402-403.
