Asking a potential therapist if they have experience dealing with your problems, such as anxiety or depression, is one way to determine if it is right for you.
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Finding a new therapist can be like buying a car or going on a first date. There are a lot of unknowns, so you have to dig to see if you’ve found The One. And that involves knowing what questions to ask when interviewing a potential therapist.
But what exactly should you ask for – and when? Here are the questions to ask a therapist during your consultation period that can help you decide if they are right for you, along with the answers you should look for.
Before your first date
These initial questions will give you an idea of your therapist’s experience and expertise, as well as key details such as payment and confidentiality.
However, not all of them warrant a conversation. You may be able to find some or all of this information on the therapist’s website, but if it does not appear to be available, communicate it by email or phone.
1. What are your qualifications?
A qualified therapist will have completed training to provide mental health services, so start by making sure they are licensed to practice in your state, according to the American Psychological Association (APA).
Most therapists will have their references clearly listed on their website. Here are some common accreditations to look for:
- Certified Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)
- Qualified Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)
- Psychologist (PsyD or PhD)
- Psychiatrist (MD)
The website should also state how long the therapist has been practicing and where he completed his training, says Kelley Kitley, LCSW, a licensed clinical social worker based in Chicago.
Then find out how much you will pay per session and if the therapist is taking your insurance.
It’s also worth learning in advance how much the therapist charges for missed sessions, says Morgan Levy, PhD, a psychologist based in Boca Raton, Fla. Some might ask you to pay the full cost while others will only ask for a portion.
If your sessions aren’t covered by insurance, or you can’t change the therapist’s rates, you can see if they have more affordable options, such as tapering off payments. Not all do, but it never hurts to ask. And if the answer is no, you can ask the therapist if they can share any referrals that better fit your budget.
“Many universities and colleges, for example, have counseling centers with therapists who train with supervisors who offer therapy at lower rates,” Levy said.
3. Do you have experience dealing with my concerns?
Different therapists specialize in helping people with different types of issues, so it’s worth making sure that yours regularly addresses the issues you hope to resolve.
“If you are someone who has experienced trauma or emotional abuse, look for someone who specializes in complex trauma,” says Levy. “If you have a phobia or panic attacks, find someone who specializes in anxiety.”
Most therapists list their areas of expertise directly on their website, Kitley explains. But if you are having trouble finding what you are looking for, you can directly ask for their experience.
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Likewise, if you find a therapist for a child or senior, look for someone who has experience with these age groups, according to the APA.
4. How do you feel about working with someone from my culture or background?
Cultural considerations such as race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender and religion shape our identities. Your therapist doesn’t have to be like you, but they should have experience that helps them understand where you are from. Otherwise, you may need to spend time educating them about your cultural background, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
You can ask a therapist about their cultural background, but there are other ways to phrase the question if that seems too direct to you.
“Some people might not want to talk a lot about their personal journey, but you can ask,” Levy said. “You can also ask them what kind of experience they have with the ‘X’ background or if they feel comfortable dealing with people with that background.”
5. What will our therapy sessions look like?
There are many types of therapies: cognitive behavioral therapy, neurofeedback, and guided imagery therapy, to name a few. And it’s important to make sure that the type of counseling a therapist offers matches your goals and needs.
A therapist will often list the types of treatments they use on their website, but if you’re not sure what a term means or implies, speak up. “You can ask what a typical session would look like, as well as if they assign you homework to do between sessions,” says Kitley.
There are no right or wrong answers, of course. If you like the sound of a typical treatment or session, the therapist might be right for you. But if that doesn’t sound pleasant or helpful, then you might not feel comfortable working with this therapist.
6. How do you protect my information during virtual therapy?
Therapists are legally required to use HIPAA secure technology so that chat messages or virtual sessions are not stored on servers or other websites.
“If I’m using FaceTime or Facebook Messenger to see a client, for example, I can’t guarantee that the session or messages aren’t stored somewhere on someone else’s servers,” says Levy. “When a therapist uses HIPAA secure software, the software publisher ensures that the information is protected.
Making sure your practitioner has these safeguards in place can protect your privacy. For virtual sessions, “the therapist must also ensure that there is no one in the room with him during the sessions and that they guarantee privacy,” says Levy.
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Go with your gut – if a potential therapist has answered all of your questions satisfactorily but you still don’t feel comfortable dealing with them, you may want to continue your search.
On your first meeting
After learning the basics of the therapist (and giving the therapist some basic information about yourself), you will have an in-person or virtual intake appointment.
During this first visit, you and your therapist can get to know each other better and talk about your therapy goals, says Kitley. You will spend a lot of time talking about yourself, but there are still opportunities to learn more about how the therapist can help you.
Here are the questions to ask when interviewing a potential therapist during this time:
7. How long do you see us working together?
After knowing your history and treatment goals, a therapist should be able to give you a rough idea of how long it might take before you start to see results.
“One thing that often concerns people is that they will be in therapy for years,” Kitley says.
But this is usually not the case. “I like to tell patients that I hope they will progress within six to eight weeks,” she says.
8. Can we set milestones?
Once you and the therapist have established a reasonable timeline for when you can expect to see changes, ask how you will measure your progress. “Being able to structure things can be very helpful for some patients,” says Kitley.
Success milestones will be different for everyone depending on what they’re trying to work on and where they’re starting from. But the therapist must be able to share some potential markers that seem real.
For example: “If someone initially has two or three panic attacks a day, we try to reduce that number through mediation and deep breathing exercises,” Kitley explains.
Getting the right answers
Questions about things like licenses, fees, and privacy have straightforward answers – either they work for you or they don’t. And if a therapist dodges your questions or makes you feel judged for asking something, those are red flags, Kitley says.
But beyond that, deciding whether a new therapist is right for you depends mainly on how the person makes you feel.
“It’s largely your gut,” Kitley says. “Often times people will report a sense of relief when they find someone they connect with, like [you] feeling really safe and comfortable, like someone finally gets it. “
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