First Appointment With A Therapist? Questions You Should Ask
Making the decision to start working with a new therapist is a positive action for your mental health. However, the prospect of attending your first therapy session can be intimidating or may make you feel nervous. Asking your prospective therapist the following questions during your first therapy session is one way to feel more at ease, because they can prompt a conversation that can give you more information about what to expect from your therapeutic journey.
What to expect from your first therapy session
In your first therapy session, you'll typically complete initial paperwork, which may include answering basic therapy questions about your family history and personal health. From there, the provider is likely to ask you questions like why you’re seeking therapy at this time and what you hope to get out of it. They may inquire about some of the challenges you’re currently facing so they can have a better understanding of how to guide the initial and potential future sessions. For some, it may feel a bit awkward to open up at first, and it will likely take some time to build a strong sense of trust between you. However, it’s important to develop a good therapeutic relationship with your therapist over time, no matter which types of therapy you’re interested in.
That said, striving to be as open and honest as possible with your therapist during therapy sessions is likely to result in the greatest benefits to you since having all the information helps them provide the most appropriate treatment modalities. By discussing your concerns, including mental health problems or treating concerns, you can work together to achieve better outcomes.
Finally, know that finding the right therapist for you can take a bit of trial and error. It’s not unusual to try out sessions with a couple of different providers before finding the one you get along with most easily and who meets your needs.
You deserve to get appropriate, professional treatment for the challenges you may be facing, so don’t worry if it takes you a few tries to find the provider who suits you best.
Questions you might ask your first therapist
Going in with some open-ended questions to ask your therapist about their background, your situation, or the process can help you feel more in control and less nervous. Plus, by answering some basic questions in your first meeting, your therapist may be able to assuage some of your concerns and help you feel more at ease. You might have some questions already in mind that you’d like to bring up, or you can consider asking some or all of the common questions we’ve listed below.
How long have you been practicing?
This is just one of several different questions you could ask a mental health provider about their background. Learning about their training, certifications, and experience can help you feel more confident in their ability to support you. You might ask how many years they’ve been practicing, which master's or doctoral degree they hold and from where, what types of clients, situations, and/or disorders (e.g., bipolar disorder) they might specialize in, etc. Remember that it’s best to only meet with qualified, licensed mental health providers, such as a licensed professional counselor or nurse practitioners, so it may not be the right choice if you find out that your provider does not hold the appropriate licensing for your state. Most therapists will have the necessary credentials to offer quality care.
How often should we meet?
Your therapist may need more information before they answer this question, because it depends on your unique situation and why you’re seeking therapy. However, they can give you an initial recommendation and potentially revise it after a few sessions of learning more about you. They may suggest once a week, once a month, or really any other cadence that they think is best. From there, you’ll get to decide on the best frequency for you based on your needs, finances, schedule, and other life factors. Your budget may be a factor in how often you see your therapist as well. If you’re not sure whether therapy can fit into your budget, you might ask your therapist whether they offer a sliding scale payment system, in which payments may vary depending on your income.
What therapy methodologies do you use?
There are a wide variety of different therapy methodologies out there, each with a different approach and purpose. Asking your therapist which ones they specialize in and have experience in can be enlightening. For example, they might say cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which is a widely used and highly effective method for a variety of conditions and situations.
If you’re looking for someone who practices a specific type, such as exposure therapy for phobias, family therapist for relationship issues, or mental health treatment for conditions like child abuse, asking your potential therapist about their experience with that type can give you the information you may need to decide if they’re a good therapist for you. These types of therapy questions can reveal whether your therapist may be the right fit to help you address any issues you may be experiencing.
If you or a loved one is experiencing abuse, contact the Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Support is available 24/7.
Can you help me achieve my goals?
Speaking openly about what you want to get from therapy can be extremely helpful to the mental health provider you’re meeting with. Your goals for therapy should be personal and specific to you—but other than that, they can be anything. For example, you might wish to build self-esteem, improve your communication skills, learn coping mechanisms for handling your emotions, or uncover strategies for speaking up for your needs. You might want help being more confident at work, more assertive in relationships, or more engaged with your family.
It may be helpful to spend some time before your first session thinking about what you want out of therapy, and perhaps even jotting down a few ideas. Then, you can explore them with your therapist and see what they say. They may manage your expectations for what therapeutic treatment can provide, refer you to someone else with more fitting experience, or let you know what the road toward achieving these goals may look like through therapy with them.
Do you think this is a good fit?
You may ask this question at the end of your first session, or after a few sessions, as part of the therapeutic process. The idea isn’t to find out whether your therapist likes you on a personal level, but to ascertain whether they think they’re the right provider for you. In some cases, unique topics or situations, such as sexual orientation, may come up that a particular therapist isn’t equipped to handle or treat. Or, they may feel you’d simply be better served by other therapists with a different specialty or more specific experience in the areas where you need support. If they do refer you to someone else, this isn’t a bad sign; in fact, it means they’re committed to making sure you get the best care possible. Many of the questions therapists ask during your first session are meant to determine whether they can offer you the care you deserve.
Can counseling accommodate my needs?
In general, therapy will be more effective for you if you feel comfortable with your therapist and comfortable in the therapy environment, especially during a typical session. If there are any accommodations you might need or benefit from, you can ask about these during or before the first session. For instance, some people might prefer to meet virtually instead of in person—more on this below. If there’s anything else you can think of that might make you feel more at ease during your sessions, letting your therapist know early on can help them practice therapy more effectively.
Choosing between online and in-person therapy
While therapy used to be conducted exclusively in person in a brick-and-mortar office, it’s now being widely offered online as well. Even family therapy and group therapy are often offered online now. Research suggests that both in-person and online therapy can offer similar benefits in most situations, so you can generally choose the method that feels best for you. For example, if you’re having trouble locating a provider in your area who has the experience or expertise you’re looking for, you can choose from a broader pool online. In addition, while some people find it comforting to meet with a therapist in person, others find it nerve wracking and prefer to speak with them online from the comfort of their own home. It typically all comes down to personal preference and convenience.
If you’re interested in trying virtual therapy, a platform like BetterHelp is one option to consider. First, you’ll be asked to fill out a brief questionnaire about your needs and preferences. Next, you’ll be matched with a licensed therapist in a matter of days. Then, you’ll be able to meet with them via phone, video call, and/or online chat to address the challenges you may be facing.
Takeaway
What questions do therapists ask on the first visit?
In a first therapy session, typically a therapist will ask questions to find out more about your history and background, as well as determine current and future goals. Some examples of questions they may ask include:
Why are you currently seeking therapy?
Have you been in therapy before? How was your experience?
Do you have people in your life who are supportive?
What are your expectations from therapy?
How do you currently cope with stress?
What goals are you looking to accomplish in therapy?
What should I say in my first therapy session?
There are no expectations for what you should say when you start therapy, but try to be honest and open with your therapist. If you haven’t already, you may want to ask your therapists some questions to determine whether they will be the right match for you. This can include asking them about what type of therapy they specialize in, more about their qualifications and education, how long their sessions are, what each session entails, if they are LGBTQ+ affirming, and whether they have experience working with clients that have similar challenges to yours.
What are 7 questions a psychologist would ask?
There are a multitude of questions that a therapist may ask, depending on your situation and how long you’ve been in therapy. Here are some common therapy questions that a practitioner can ask:
What are your therapy goals?
What is your relationship with your family like?
What are your symptoms?
Do you have a family history of mental health challenges?
Have you ever had thoughts of self-harm or suicidal ideation?
What do you hope to accomplish through therapy?
Do you have a support network? What are your relationships with these connections like?
What are good intake questions?
Good intake questions will focus on gathering information about medical and personal history, a client’s views of therapy, goals for therapy, and what the client hopes to gain from therapy.
How does a typical first therapy session go?
When starting therapy, the first session is a getting-to-know you session. Sometimes this involves a structured, formal interview, in others it may be a free-flowing conversation. The goals are to build rapport between therapist and client, and to get an idea of what the client is looking for in therapy.
What are three open-ended questions for mental health?
Some open-ended questions that can give a therapist good understanding of where to take your mental health journey can include:
How are you currently coping with stress and/or problems in your life?
Do you have supportive people in your life, and how do they support you?
What symptoms are you currently experiencing?
What are open-ended questions in therapy?
Open-ended questions are questions that discourage the use of “yes” or "no" answers. This technique is effective for information gathering. An example of an open-ended question might be, “what personality traits do you find attractive in another person?”
How do I prepare for my first appointment with a new therapist?
To find a therapist that is going to meet your personal needs, it can be important to find out some key factors. Be ready to ask questions to find out more about what type or types of therapy they offer. For example, family therapy or couples therapy is not going to offer the same tools and techniques as cognitive behavioral therapy, or EMDR. Do some research on what therapeutic approaches are most effective for your mental health challenge, and find a therapist who offers this specialization.
You can also ask questions about their education and experience, and whether they have worked with other clients who experience similar challenges. During this question and answer period, be ready to determine whether you feel comfortable talking with this therapist. A strong therapeutic alliance can be key to success in therapy, so if you don’t feel that your personalities mesh well, you may want to look elsewhere.
Do you get diagnosed in the first therapy session?
No, a therapist uses the first session to get to know their client and to find out more about what they’re looking for in therapy, as well as to build the foundation for a strong therapeutic relationship. They may get some ideas of what challenges the client is experiencing, but most therapists will not attempt to diagnose a client in the first session, nor should they.
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