When in need of an electrician or plumber, most individuals will get in touch with at least two or three service providers and get answers to a few questions, for example: How much do you charge? How long have you been in business? What hours are you available? Which payment options do you accept? And so on… Some may even consult a customer-advocacy website, along the lines of the one provided by the Better Business Bureau, to see if any sort of grievances have been lodged regarding the business.
When in search of a physician or medical expert, almost everyone will consult different professionals, friends, and family members for referrals. Even after that, people will frequently talk with two or more medical specialists to acquire that all-important “second opinion.”
Regretably, when in search of a mental health professional, all too often it seems like people just contact the very first psychotherapist they locate and make an appointment. No confirming qualifications… No searching for complaints… No questions… Nothing to it!
Yet, a competent therapist will ask you a lot of questions, a good number of which will undoubtedly be personal in nature. Some questions will be on questionnaires the therapist will ask you to provide before your first visit. They will then ask you some other questions during your first appointment, and ask many more in subsequent sessions.
The trust, relationship, and rapport developed between a therapist and a client is probably the single greatest determinant of effective therapy. For therapy to reach your goals, you will need to be open and honest when it comes to your feelings, thoughts, and experiences. Your therapist will reflect what they’re hearing and seeing to make sure you’re feeling recognized, understood, and respected. This back-and-forth flow that will allow your therapist to determine how to help you best and guide the course of your treatment.
Why You Need to Interview Your Therapist
Now, I know when we’re suffering a lot, we usually have difficulty thinking rationally. And it can be difficult to know the right questions to ask a potential therapist in a first “interview.” Yet, your questions are necessary.
So, before contacting two or three therapists to schedule some appointments, spend some time considering the questions that mean the most to you. For example:
- Do you want to work with a mental health professional who focuses primarily on helping people with similar problems and issues to those you’re experiencing?
- Does the therapist’s cultural heritage, religion, race, or marital status matter?
- Does it matter whether or not the therapist you work with has raised children?
- Would you feel more at ease dealing with a therapist of the same sex?
- What distance are you prepared to travel for therapy?
- What hours are you available to spend on therapy?
Given that rapport and trust are so essential for effective psychotherapy, the majority of therapists will do whatever they can to be certain their clients feel safe. Accordingly, the majority of mental health practitioners are amenable to being asked various questions relevant to their education, professional training, credentials, as well as the therapeutic techniques they employ.
Having said that, for the most part therapists won’t answer questions about their personal lives or provide clients their individual opinions about topics such as politics, religion, etc., so their clients can express themselves as honestly as possible throughout the course of therapy without being worried about what the therapist believes.
There are numerous other questions you should ask a potential therapist, some of the more important include:
- Which age ranges do you treat?
- How long is an average session?
- How often will we need to meet?
- How long might treatment last?
- What treatment methods do you use to help clients heal?
- Will there be a person I can contact if a crisis develops and you’re not available?
- Are there any limitations for confidentiality?
You needn’t ask most of these questions before, or even during, your very first appointment, but please do ask them. This interview procedure does more than simply give you information. It can give you a feel for the therapist, how they communicate with you, and the likelihood you and the therapist can build a beneficial working relationship.
Never forget, the mental health professional is in business to help you. We’ve all met people we’d wish to not do business with. Ask appropriate questions, and be certain your therapist isn’t one of them… This is about your future success and happiness!