Where to Begin – A Guide to Free 15-Minute Consultations with a Therapist
15 minutes doesn’t sound like a lot of time. However, those minutes really do matter! You can gather a lot of information about yourself and the therapist in that time. It may seem a bit intimidating, so we are here to help! Here are some common questions around consultations and some tips on what you should be asking to get the most out of them!
What is the purpose of a free 15-minute consultation?
Having a consultation has a lot of different purposes, including (but not limited to):
Ensuring you and the therapist are a good fit
Understanding what sessions might look like
Learning about the therapist’s specialization and qualifications
Asking any questions you may have
Understanding fees
Exploring different options such as times of sessions and/or in-person versus online opportunities
Why is it Free?
The reality is, not everyone will be a good fit. Your care is most important, and these calls allow not only you to decide how to proceed but also allow the therapist to make sure their specialties and modalities align with your needs. This feature gives you the opportunity to meet with multiple different practitioners and decide from there who is the best fit for you!
How do I Book a Therapy Consultation?
Most organizations will have this option on their website. Directories such as Psychology Today and Therapy Route also have this option built into the therapist's profile page. If you are ever unsure, you can always call a clinic and someone should be able to set that up for you!
If you are in Canada, TCC offers free consultations with our therapists, and you can click here to book!
Is There Anything Specific I Should Share?
It is important to go into these consultations with an open mind and open line of communication. This allows the therapist to better understand you and what you are looking for through therapy. Here are a few suggestions on what to share:
Goals you would like to work on
Why have you chosen therapy now? And if you have been in therapy before, what worked well and what didn’t work well?
The type of sessions you are looking for and how frequently you hope to meet
Financial situation
Click on the Icons to Follow Our Social Media ChannelsSo, is There Anything I Should be Asking?
This is probably the most asked question, and yes there are a few things you should be asking within a consultation. Here are some tips from TCC on how to prepare for and what to ask during a consultation:
Research
It is important for you to do your own research. Explore different clinics and organizations in your area. Most will have an “Our Team” page, and this is a great way to get a quick overview of a therapist. This section typically outlines qualifications, specialties, modalities, and more! It is a great starting point. This also helps you identify and questions you might have for a practitioner.
Credentials
Asking a practitioner about their credentials is important. You want to ensure that their training and education align with what you are looking for, and more importantly, ensure that their credentials align with provincial/city/country guidelines. It is also helpful for more logistical things like insurance, as certain insurance companies have restrictions about which type of practitioner you see (social worker, psychologist, etc.)
Approach to Treatment
Asking how a professional approaches treatment allows you to better understand what therapy might look like and their views on the topic. You can then see if this aligns with your personal needs and experiences. Asking about the modalities they use also ensures you are seeking out approaches that fit your needs and you will find helpful.
Culture
Culture is a super important factor to consider in therapy. Ensuring that the therapist provides culturally responsive care, recognizes privilege, and integrates culture into sessions all contribute towards creating a safe and trusting therapy environment. Specifically, if you have experienced racism, discrimination, racial trauma, etc., a therapist with experience in these areas can help ensure you are receiving the care you need.
What Types of Sessions They Offer?
It is always a good idea to ask the types of sessions they offer. Some only offer individual sessions, whereas others may offer couple, family, and/or group sessions too. It also allows you to understand what the length of a session might look like. For example, at TCC, we offer session times of 30 minutes, 60 minutes, or 90 minutes and those can be in-person or virtual.
Past Experiences
Gaining information about whether a therapist has worked with clients with similar needs is important. Experience in that area can lead to more positive therapy outcomes. This highlights the therapist’s awareness and ensures they know about this issue.
Cost and Payment Options
You want to make sure that you acknowledge the cost in a consultation. Clinics and organizations offer different payment options from sliding scale to reduced rate to full-cost sessions. Some practices will also offer direct billing options to different insurance companies. There are a lot of options available, and making sure you are working with someone who meets your financial needs is essential.
Fees and Cancellation Policies
To piggyback on the previous point, it is important to understand any policies an organization has in place. This could include cancellation policies (such as 24-hour, 48-hour, etc.), no-show fees, and more! Understanding insurance policies also falls into this category.
Confidentiality
It is important to have a conversation around confidentiality. Ensuring that a therapist has a strong understanding of this and that you feel safe in that space is critical. This outlines the basics of confidentiality and ensures you understand when and when it is not okay to breach that confidentiality.
Do You Think We Would be a Good Fit?
While it is important for you to feel like you would be a good fit for the therapist, asking them is also important. They may not know a lot about you yet, however, if a therapist doesn’t think you’d be a good fit, they should be upfront about that. They can then help direct you to someone they feel might align better with your goals.
Anything Else You Should Know?
This is a great chance to ask the therapist if there is anything else important you should know about them. Whether it is regarding any specialties they want to highlight, any other ways they feel they could support you, resources, time off, etc. It makes sure you have all the knowledge to make an informed decision.
This may seem a little overwhelming at first, but asking these questions can be a great starting point. Going into a consultation prepared with some questions helps ensure you make an informed decision based on your needs for therapy.
If you are in Canada, check out TCC’s online matching tool to help align you with a therapist who meets your needs. From here, you can book a free 15-minute consultation to ensure you are a good fit. If you are outside of Canada, try directories like Psychology Today and Therapy Route where you can narrow down fields based on your location and needs!
Resources:
Jasen, L. (2024, June 13). 30 questions to ask a therapist during a consultation. Sage & Sunshine Therapy. https://www.sageandsunshinetherapy.com/blog/questions-to-ask-a-therapist-during-consultation
