How to Interview a Potential Therapist
It would be nice if finding a therapist you like would be as easy as finding someone to paint your house. In both situations, you will have to look closely at you, but interviewing potential consultants is much more difficult than just reading Yelp reviews, especially since there is no guarantee that you will like the therapist’s methods like other patients. When looking for a therapist, you strive to build a relationship with someone you can trust, and that trust is not easy to build. You should be able to ask your counselor questions to see if they can really help you.
Here is a general overview of some of the issues you should feel comfortable playing on the pitch and looking for a therapist.
Ask about their methods
Psychology is a vast field that encompasses a wide range of methods and philosophies. Some of them may work for you, others will be less successful. Ask your advisor how they do what they do. Are they firmly rooted in the Freudian tradition, or is their focus diverging from the roots of conversational therapy?
It would be a good idea to familiarize yourself with the different types of psychological counseling that you are likely to come across before diving into the hunt. Your counselor, for example, might focus on a psychodynamic approach that explores the relationship between your subconscious mind and your actions. Or they may use cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which attempts to break down negative thinking patterns. There are many, many different approaches to talking therapy, but among all of them there is a kind of wonderful freedom: choosing the style that best suits your needs is up to you (provided you find a therapist who practices it and takes your insurance ).
If you would like to elaborate a little more on this issue, you can ask what benefits you can expect from the specific methods of the consultant and in what time frame. For example, how does CBT change a person’s attitude toward obsessive thoughts? Someone specializing in this approach will be able to explain this to you and explain when you can expect noticeable progress.
Ask about their past
It’s more than okay to ask personal questions to your therapist, and like a fairly basic icebreaker, you might find out about their powers. Does it matter to you if your consultant has a doctorate or other degree? Do you want someone with practical social work experience? Asking them about what they learned and why – and how they used their education – can better inform you about the decision-making process and help you understand how they can ultimately help you.
It’s also perfectly fair to ask about their level of experience. Given the often prohibitive cost of treatment, you are doing yourself a favor — you don’t want to pay hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars a year to work with someone just starting to understand the basics. Of course, there is nothing wrong with working with a therapist with less experience, but his fee should be commensurate with his experience .
Ask them if they think you fit
As mentioned earlier, you are building a relationship with the consultant, which means that you have to work well together . The client is obliged to clearly explain his needs and what worries them. Once this is done, the therapist usually explains their methods and how they think they can help. If you feel that something is missing, you have the right to ask if the counselor thinks that the two of you can have a productive relationship based on both your needs and the counselor’s methods.
Ask about cost, insurance, etc.
The least enjoyable but inevitable aspect of finding a consultant is the discussion of cost. Often you will find very good therapists who will not accept your insurance – or will not accept insurance at all – which means you will have to pay out of pocket and weigh if the financial burden is worth it. However, if you have insurance that a consultant accepts, it is possible that your sessions will require only a minimal co-payment.
To this end, be sure to study the financial indicators before getting down to business. If it turns out that the services of a particular counselor are too expensive, you can ask them to refer you to someone you can afford. After all, the goal of any therapist is to provide people with the treatment they deserve, to hell with financial constraints. It is more than likely that you will get a decent referral to another consultant who accepts your insurance, or to a more complete list of resources that may ultimately lead you to the right person.
Of course, this is just a starting point. When it comes to specific questions about you and your personal needs, don’t hesitate or let embarrassment keep you from talking. In the end, you will be more than grateful for it.