How To Prepare for a Therapy Phone Consultation
Finding a therapist is no easy feat! Read my tips below to make the most of a therapy phone consultation and download a free template.
As a therapist, I've seen firsthand that a successful therapy journey starts with a great fit between you and your therapist. This connection goes beyond just finding someone who is qualified to treat your concerns. It's about finding a professional who has the right expertise and a style that aligns with your personality, goals, and values. In other words, someone you feel truly gets you.
The phone consultation is an important part of beginning the process of psychotherapy, and I encourage anyone who is looking to start therapy to request a phone consult to gain more information about a potential therapist.
So, how does one make the most of a 15 minute intro call? If you’re new to therapy you may be wondering: What should I ask? What should I expect?
Read more below to find out my tips and check out my free template for making the most of a phone consultation at the end of the article!
How To Make the Most Out of a Phone Consultation When Looking for a Therapist
5 tips from a therapist, plus a free template at the end!
Getting started: Find 1 -3 therapists whose profile resonates with you
Finding a therapist who feels like a good fit can be a major hurdle, and it's one of the most common reasons people put off starting therapy. It’s overwhelming to search through hundreds of names on Psychology Today or Alma. Unfortunately, the current algorithms I see in place for finding a therapist are flawed and limited in their matching ability.
Going in with an idea of what you’re looking for can make the process of reading through bios and profiles less overwhelming, it also increases the chances that the phone consultation will be successful, meaning both you and the therapist feel it’s a good fit! I suggest going into the search process with an idea of what you’re looking for from therapy. Learn more about different types of therapy here.
Once you’ve found a therapist profile that resonates with you, reach out to book a call!
2. Prepare what you’ll say ahead of time
Therapists typically use the introductory call to learn more about what is bringing you to therapy. We ask about this in order to confirm that we are well equipped to treat the problems that you may be experiencing. I typically ask clients what brings them to therapy and what their goals are. Coming into the phone call prepared with this information ahead of time could be beneficial so you don’t feel flustered or forget to mention something on the call. I also recommend preparing any questions you have for the therapist.
Check out my free template below for preparing for a phone consultation!
3. Ask about the therapist’s approach
After hearing about a potential client’s goals for therapy, I’ll also ask if they have any questions about me, specifically about my style as a therapist and the interventions or frameworks that I use.
You may be wondering, what if I don’t know anything about different approaches? That’s okay! Clients are always welcome to ask more about what these approaches look like in practice. You can ask something like: “Can you tell me more about that intervention?” or “What would a session look like with this approach?”
4. Discuss logistics (fees, scheduling, etc.)
After answering questions with potential clients I also go into logistics such as insurance, fees and scheduling availability. I never pressure clients to book a session on a call and give them the option to think about it or speak with other therapists before making a decision, however if a client feels ready to book then we’ll discuss scheduling, intake forms, payment, and the steps required to getting started.
5. If all goes well… schedule an appointment!
While I believe strongly in the importance of a consult call, I also think the consultation process is limited in the ability to assess a strong fit. And I do recommend after reading bios, reaching out and consulting with a few therapists, that it may make sense to book with one and feel it out for the first 3 sessions.
We know from research that having too many options actually makes it harder to choose, (i.e. analysis paralysis) so sometimes it really is about going with a gut feeling. If a therapist’s website or bio really spoke to you and the phone conversation went well, I encourage you to consider booking a session and see how it goes!
Lastly, I’m including a template to help you have a productive and informative phone consultation.
Finding a therapist that is a good fit can be hard work, but I truly believe it is worth the effort. I hope this template and article are helpful for those looking to start their therapy journey.