Interviewing Potential Therapists
You have a list of therapists that sound good... but what do you do next?
Finding a new therapist is… scary. Even if you have been in therapy before and had a good experience, it’s still a huge task to find someone you feel a “click” with. When you have a rough idea of who you might want to reach out to, email them and ask if they can provide you with a free phone call to discuss their practice and answer some questions. Here is a general idea of questions that you can ask a potential new therapist:
(Check out this past post for choosing a therapist for people who are in the BIPOC community: BIPOC: How to find the right therapist)
What states are you licensed to practice in?
Are you virtual or in person?
How long have you been in practice as a therapist?
What techniques/theories do you generally use?
Ask about pricing and/or insurance coverage. Do they supply superbills if you are out of network?
What is your experience with (name your symptoms or concerns here)?
Neurodivergent specific questions
What is your experience and training with ADHD/Autism/AuDHD (pick whatever fits you the best)?
How do you accommodate for neurodivergence in sessions?
Queer/Trans specific questions
Are you a queer or trans friendly practice?
What qualifications do you have or trainings have you had in queer or trans mental health?
How do you address when a client might feel unheard or dismissed in their relationship with you?
Of course, there may be other questions that you feel are relevant that you would want to ask. Usually, you can get a good idea of whether or not someone would work for you. I let my potential new clients know that it takes about 3 -5 sessions of regular and consistent therapy to determine if it is a good fit. Is this really ideal? No it’s not. Is it the way it usually plays out? Yes, unfortunately it is. Most therapists are willing and able to provide you with other referrals of therapists that might work better for you. But also… you know how to find a potential therapist! You did it already and you can do it again.
***For a refresher/reference, use this instagram post to help: