Psychology Information
HOW TO CALL AND INTERVIEW THERAPISTS FOR THE MOST APPROPRIATE CHOICE
Use personal or online resources to identify individual couples family group therapists, counselors, psychologists, or psychiatrists appropriate for your needs and preferences. It is best to call two or more professionals for a brief interview. They frequently receive inquiries and are pleased to give you a few minutes of their time on the phone.
Be sure to talk directly with the therapist. If they are busy, they'll likely soon return your call. Talking with their receptionist, instead, will not give you the intuitive sense you need to make the appropriate choice. And in the unlikely event a therapist is not responsive, trust your intuition and move on to interviewing other professionals. NOTE: If you leave a message, be sure to slowly and clearly state your contact information. Say your first or full name, your main phone number with three-digit area code, and the best times you can be reached - at least three time ranges work best to avoid telephone tag.
The following is an interview format that is brief and designed to be comfortable, while highly informative. Asking SOME or ALL of the questions can help you effectively choose an appropriate therapist.
TO BEGIN THE INTERVIEW - simply say something like "I heard about you through (name the resource you used) and I'd like to ask a few brief questions about your services."
1 - What is your fee per session? Most therapists charge a certain fee per session no matter how many people attend with you. Psychiatrists are MD physicians. Having medical and medication expertise, they tend to charge higher.
If you qualify under financial hardship, ask the therapist whether they can help you on an affordablity scale. If you have insurance, Medicare or Medicaid, ask if the therapist accepts them.
2 - How many minutes is your session? Most therapists provide 45, 50, 55, or 60 minutes per session.
3 - Is your therapy office located in an office building or in your home? Be sure you feel comfortable with the location.
4 - Ask any questions about personal requirements. For example: Does your office have wheelchair access?
5 - What areas do you specialize in? Get a sense whether the therapist has the appropriate expertise to effectively help you with your issues.
6 - How long have you been in private practice? Of course the more experience a therapist has, the more effective they may be. But also consider related experience prior to their private practice.
7 - Do you focus more on connections with the past and the family, or more in the present? Get a sense whether their therapy approach can effectively help you with your issues.
8 - Do you provide any training or techniques to achieve specific goals? Get a sense whether the therapist can help you learn to improve specific life skills, for example, how to handle stress, anger or communication.
9 - Do you tend to listen and offer careful insights, or be more interactive through frequent feedback, or directive by challenging and confronting more? Get a sense whether their therapy style can work effectively for you.
10 - What hours do you have openings? Upon choosing a therapist, be sure to reserve an opening within a week or two. Though it may not be on the day or time you prefer, the therapist will accommodate you as soon as possible.
TO END THE INTERVIEW - simply say something like "I appreciate your time, and when my research is complete I may call you to schedule an appointment."
IN THE FINAL ANALYSIS - trust your intuition. The therapist you feel the most comfortable with and who sounds the most competent is the one most likely to be appropriate for your needs and preferences.
And in the event, after one or more visits you believe the therapist is not appropriate for you, feel free to discontinue. You can always interview more therapists until you are satisfied with your choice. Carefully choosing your therapist will most likely get you the results you want and need. relationship depression
