Interviewing Your Therapist…
A Letter From A Therapist: Issue 4
The process of beginning therapy can be intimidating - you are essentially selecting a professional to assist and guide you through the cognitive processes of your life. You will eventually rely on their clinical guidance and expertise for the development of coping skills while entrusting them with very personal self disclosure details. So therefore, shouldn’t you be selective in the finding the right professional to fill this role? Similar to how you would manage the apprehension of making any large decision, you want to explore your therapist’s competence as it relates to your needs.
When a client attends their first appointment with a new therapist (often referred to as an intake, assessment, or evaluation) the therapist will often ask the client various questions about their history and reasons for seeking counseling services at this time. This helps to gage a variety of factors including the client’s possible diagnoses if present, treatment modalities that might benefit them, our own competency for treating the client, and whether we feel the therapeutic relationship would be a good fit. So therefore, it stands to reason that the client should also be considering for themselves if they feel like the therapist is a good fit for them. Building rapport and comfort in a clinical setting is of significant importance in the therapeutic process and can largely influence success and achievement.
Many times, the therapist will wrap up an intake assessment with a client by inquiring on whether they have any questions regarding their initial treatment plan or the process that is expected to unfold. So, what should they ask? It’s the perfect opportunity to learn a bit about the fitness of your provider and whether they satisfy your needs and intentions for beginning this process. Some inquiries might focus on their clinical experience and professional history (i.e. asking about their license, educational background, or speciality population). Others might find it imperative to understand the cost of services to prevent any confusion around their financial commitment for the frequency of sessions determined (i.e. verifying the cost of each session to the client with their insurance coverage and understanding out of network benefits that might be available). Or what might be important to a client is the therapist’s clinical approach and therapeutic style that they might be exposed to in their treatment (i.e. modalities that are expected to be used, standard length of treatment or sessions, expectations of engagement between sessions, and establishment of counseling goals).
So be picky - therapists at their core are human themselves and a client’s ability to advocate in finding the right therapeutic fit can be a wonderful start to the healing process. Unfortunately at this time, some prospective clients may be finding that depending on their location, there is a shortage of therapeutic providers in their area. Please don’t give up your search - reach out to professionals and if their practice is currently full ask for referral sources. This search can be an important part of the recovery process as establishing your mental health care is a wonderful form of wellness and self discovery. Contact your insurance companies for referral lists to determine professionals that are credentialed with your plans for reimbursement. Search on PsychologyToday.com to easily contact and communicate with a large database of local providers while filtering criteria that represent your conditions. If the first few providers aren’t available to take on your case or you aren’t comfortable with the fit, know that your treatment opportunity is still out there. Be patient in the process while also true to your treatment goals and needs.
Best Regards,
Amanda J. Nowak, LPC, LMHC
October 11, 2021
