So you want to find a therapist and don’t know where to start? Join the club - there’s a lot of us here! If you’ve never been in therapy - or even if you have - it can be super difficult to know what to ask and how to figure out if a particular therapist will be a good fit. Often it just comes down to trial and error. But, there are some critical questions you can ask in an initial screening call or meeting to get a sense of if the work with a potential therapist will be beneficial for your particular context and hopes, or not. Read on for questions you can have lined up for the start of your therapist search!

What is your general approach to therapy? Are there any specific modalities you like to focus on?

A clinical modality is a particular method that therapists might take in their practice. Some examples are: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), narrative therapy, solution-focused therapy, etc. It can be helpful to read a bit about the various modalities so you can feel out which ones you’re more interested in, but keep in mind that there might be one or a few that work well for you that you weren’t expecting! The number of modalities can be overwhelming, so don’t stress yourself out with the notion that you need to be familiar with them all. Feel free to just browse a bit, or choose to listen to what the potential therapist has to say about the modalities they use the most.

I’m really looking for a therapist with the following qualities: _________. Can you speak a little bit about yourself in terms of these qualities?

There are a variety of needs and styles in every therapeutic relationship, past the approach or modality. You may be looking for a therapist whose main role is to listen and validate; you may be looking for someone who is more involved and can offer alternative perspectives; you may be looking for someone who asks a lot of questions. Maybe you are hoping that your therapist can offer and help you develop specific skills or work towards changes, or maybe you’re hoping for more of an exploratory therapist who can help you reflect on your life. There are so many reasons therapy can be helpful - so try to figure out how this therapist may approach your sessions and what their general style/qualities are so you can see if it is aligned with what will work for you.

I’m hoping to focus on the following issues or conflicts in my life: __________. Do you have any experience working with clients who have had similar experiences or struggles?

If you are coming to therapy, there may or may not be particular spheres of life or issues that you want to work through or on. If there are, make sure to pose this question to your therapist so you can get a sense of if they have experience with those concerns and will have substantive things to offer. For example, if you have a history with an eating disorder or a personality disorder, do they have any experience with clients who have struggled with this? If you are hoping to work through a challenging family dynamic or relationship, does the therapist have experience or training in family or relational therapy? 

Different people may give more or less weight to this question - in other words, the answer to this question by no means has to be a dealbreaker. A therapist without much experience with your particular concern(s) may still be a fantastic clinician and help you tremendously. This is more to get a sense of their familiarity with elements of your context. But for some who know exactly what they want to work through, or who are working through something that requires a more specialized skill set, the answer to this question may be more important. 

Do you take clients for long-term or short-term therapy?

Some therapists choose to focus on clients who are interested in short-term therapy, meaning you work with a therapist for a certain number of sessions (ten, for example) to work on a particular area or concern in your life, and then you close out your work. Other therapists are more interested in continuing and evolving therapeutic work with clients indefinitely. Both are great options and will benefit different folks in different ways - but it’s helpful to know how long your therapist typically works with clients so you’re aware of if you’re able to work with them on a short- or long-term basis. 

How do you approach diagnosis in your practice? Do you have a strong stance on disclosing diagnoses to your clients or not? Or do you leave it up to the client (me)?

The question of whether a therapist will let their client know that they suspect a particular diagnosis for their client, and if so, how the therapist goes about disclosing it to the client, has a variety of valid answers and varies significantly therapist to therapist. There’s no right or wrong answer. Some therapists think it’s important to share a diagnosis with a client so they’re aware of what might be going on for them - it can be validating, and a tool in building coping skills or reflecting on struggles and relationships. Other therapists think that sharing can put too much focus on the diagnosis and take away from the more organic work that’s individual to the client’s unique personhood and context. Other therapists think that it’s totally dependent on the client - for some, hearing a diagnosis is helpful and for others it’s detrimental. All of these perspectives are okay, and the answer to this question may or may not be relevant or make a difference to you.

However, If you are entering therapy with a suspicion that you may have a mental health condition, or are hoping to understand yourself more with a diagnosis (or lack thereof), it might be important for you to ask a potential therapist how they typically approach diagnoses. On the other hand, if you suspect or know from experience that hearing or focusing on a diagnosis is harmful to you, it can be critical to mention this to a potential therapist and, again, to know a bit about their approach.

What do you typically do for professional development? 

Professional development is part of every therapist’s work. To continue being licensed and practicing, a therapist has to engage in a certain amount of PD a year - meaning, they read newly published books or articles/studies, attend conferences and presentations, or meet with other professionals to learn about new findings, approaches, and more in the mental health field. There is so much we’re learning every day about mental health and the best practices in therapy, so it’s important for a potential therapist to see the value in their professional development. Additionally, some of the more outdated approaches to psychotherapy can be problematic and potentially cause harm. It can be helpful to ask about this to see what type of activities they engage in to keep up to date, and make sure they’re dedicated to learning new ways to support you and their other clients.

What insurances do you take? What is your cancellation policy - AKA, by what time/day do I have to cancel an appointment before I am charged? If I cancel an appointment late, how much will I be charged?

The finances related to therapy are critical to inquire about! You may already know which insurance the therapist takes when you first talk to them - but if you don’t, make sure to ask. If they are out of network, meaning your insurance policy does not cover their services, I would strongly urge you to look for a therapist that is covered. Therapy can be very expensive if not covered by insurance, and you want to set yourself up to be able to realistically sustain the relationship with your therapist if you choose to. 

Therapists who offer out of network services can be a good option if 1) you have a very limited health insurance plan; or 2) if you need or want a therapist with a specialized skillset (i.e. a clinical sex and relationship therapist, a marriage or couples therapist, a family therapist, a therapist that specializes in borderline personality disorder, etc.). If the therapist you want to work with is not in network, make sure to ask what their out of network fee is, and if they have a sliding scale. A sliding scale is a pricing mechanism that some therapists use that make out of network sessions a bit more affordable. Essentially, they base your fee on factors like your employment status, insurance, etc. Sliding scales are often $80-$200 depending on the therapist and your status. 

All in all, make sure you’re clear on how much you will be paying out of pocket for therapy, whether the therapist is covered by your insurance or out of network. This includes what you’ll be paying if you cancel an appointment late or if you forget and don’t show up. If you know that your schedule changes frequently or that you’re very forgetful, it could benefit you to find a therapist that has a low or nonexistent cancellation/no-show fee. The financial implications are an important factor in deciding which therapist is the best fit for you so that you can sustain a therapeutic relationship if you choose to!

Finding a therapist who’s a good fit is undoubtedly daunting. But it is often so worth it so you can receive support in working through whatever it is you need to in order to build towards a more fulfilling life. Hopefully these questions help you in your search. Good luck!