Screening call

This initial call generally lasts 20 to 30 minutes and is an opportunity to decide if you feel therapy with us makes sense for you and if the therapist feels they are the best fit for your needs.

It’s normal to feel nervous about this first call. However, rest assured in knowing that you are taking the first step in your mental health journey. So here’s a guide to everything you can expect, including what questions the therapist will likely ask you, plus what you can ask to properly assess the fit and feel confident that you found the right therapist.

What questions will we ask you?

The therapist will typically start off the call with a few questions to get to know you better, so they can make sure they’re the best fit to meet your needs. This includes questions about why you want to see a therapist, how you’ve been feeling over the past few weeks, and your goals for therapy if you have any.

Here are some questions a therapist will ask you on the initial call:

1. Why are you considering therapy now?
2. Have you been in therapy before?
3. What are you looking for in a therapist?
4. What has worked in the past, and what hasn’t for coping with your issues?
5. What are you hoping therapy can do for you?

If possible, take a few minutes before the call to reflect on these questions, so you can have a clearer sense of your needs and goals for therapy. But don’t worry, if you are not able to come up with an answer to any of these questions, that’s okay too! We will know how to help no matter what you are able to convey to us.

After you answer these questions, the therapist will likely welcome you to ask questions about their practice, too.

Most of the answers to these questions are listed under our FAQ page so if you want to research us ahead of time to assess if we are the right fit for you, it might make sense to review our FAQs and see if having the initial consulting call makes sense for you.

What questions should I ask the therapist?

Here are some questions patients typically ask therapists on the initial call:

1. Can you tell me a bit about your practice?

2. What therapy approach do you use?

3. Do you have experience working with clients with similar concerns?

4. How frequently and long do you typically see clients?

5. What are your fees and do you accept my health insurance?

Answers to most of these questions will be located in the FAQ section of this website.

At the end of the call, both of us will have the opportunity to give the decision to work together some thought or decide to schedule the first appointment.

If one of us feels that it may not the best fit…NO WORRIES…We also understand that some people will interview several therapists before making a decision. If we decide we are not the right fit for you, we will gladly give you some resources for finding a therapist that will best meet your specific needs and desires for therapy. Note that our practice gets full from time to time, and we then may not have a free time slot available. In those cases, you can ask to be put on the waiting list if you wish.

If we both agree it makes sense to work together, you will have the opportunity to schedule a first session. Make sure to have your Outlook Calendar, G-Cal, iCal, or schedule book in front of you so you can schedule it right there. This will ensure that you have a set time reserved for you and will save you the time and effort of having to schedule the session at a later date.

After we schedule a time to meet, within 24 hours, you will receive an email with next steps for completing forms before your first session. Please check your Spam and Junk mail periodically, as they sometimes end up in there.

Client Forms

Note that all of my client forms are electronic and are securely maintained through a client portal within my Electronic Healthcare Record software. You will receive a link in your email that will give you access to the client portal and you can then log in to review and complete all of the client forms before the first session. If you have any questions about the forms-feel free to reach out to us by email. Whatever you are not able to fill out we can simply complete it in the first session.

Contact Us

If you haven’t already done so, Contact us and schedule an initial session to see if therapy with us is right for you.