Choosing a therapist is an important step. Asking a few thoughtful questions beforehand can help you feel more confident about whether someone is the right fit for you.
Practicalities
- What are your fees, and do you offer a sliding scale?
- How long are sessions, and how often do you usually recommend meeting?
- What is your cancellation policy?
- Do you offer in-person, online, or a mix of both?
- How do you handle confidentiality, and are there any limits to it?
Approach & Style
- What therapeutic approaches do you mainly use?
- How would you describe your style—more collaborative, exploratory, or structured?
- How do you typically work in the early sessions, and how will we set goals together?
- What does progress look like from your perspective?
Experience & Fit
- What experience do you have with the kinds of issues I’m bringing?
- How do you handle it if therapy doesn’t feel helpful, or if the fit isn’t right?
- How do you approach feedback from clients during the process?
A good therapist will welcome these questions and answer them openly. Trust your sense of whether the conversation feels respectful and collaborative—that sense of connection matters.
If you’d like to ask any of these (or others) before we begin, you’re very welcome to. I look forward to hearing from you.
— Jim