How Therapy Works: What’s The Point Of A Therapy Consult Call?
Okay, so you’ve picked out a therapist who looks great, and you’re nervous, but the pit in your stomach that led you down this path has taken on some butterflies of excitement, too. You’ve got some momentum. You’ve found someone to help you get to the root of what’s bothering you.
So why is there yet another step before you get to that first session?
The consult call is the first time you speak to your new therapist directly. It isn’t a first session yet, but it’s where you get some final questions answered and hear more about how therapy works with the therapist you picked out. When you’re just looking for some relief and have already done a lot of comparing options online, it can feel like a meaningless extra step. Scheduling a meeting just to schedule a meeting? I mean, come on! So let’s break down what the point of all this is.
This is the second installment in my blog series, “How Therapy Works,” where I cover some important questions people have about the process of finding a therapist and starting their therapy journey. Last week’s article was about “Picking The Right Therapist,” and next up, we’ll be talking about that annoying paperwork that comes before your first session. Come along for the ride by signing up to get on my email list!
One More Gut Check
You already made a judgement call when you decided to schedule the first call with this therapist to begin with, but actually talking with them can feel different. If you get to the consult call and things feel off, this is your chance to gracefully bow out of the whole thing and pick someone else from the list.
On the flip side, maybe you scheduled this call, and you still weren’t 100% sold on the idea of going to therapy in the first place. You have goals you want to reach and you want help, but the idea of sharing your worst fears with someone you barely know is intimidating. Often, it’s actually starting the relationship building work of therapy that eases your mind and allows for therapy to take its course. Just by talking to your new therapist for the first time, you’re starting on the journey, and it becomes easier to envision yourself getting the support you’ve been craving. This is where things get real.
How Therapy With This Specific Person Works 101
Not all therapists are the same. Which is good, because not all people need the same thing!
But what that means in practice is that while therapy generally runs along similar lines (the state Board makes sure of that for legal reasons), every therapist is going to have different rules and ways of working with people. And the consult call is your time to figure out if the way this specific person does therapy is the right way for you.
If you have any questions about insurance or payment, this is the time to ask them. If you have any concerns about modality or style of therapy, now’s when you bring those up. If you need a sliding scale therapy price, this is where you and your new therapist talk about what that price will be. No money has been exchanged yet and no papers have been signed, so this is the time to dive into the fine print and make an informed choice.
This is also the therapist’s first time meeting you. A good therapist posts a lot of the important info about how they work online, but this is their chance to tell you the details that may only make sense in your situation, or that are extra important to know before you begin. If your therapist picks up on support you need that they know they can’t really give you, this is also where they can give you personalized referrals to professionals they can vouch for.
After The Call
When the call’s over, one of two things will happen next: either you’ll decide this isn’t the therapist for you after all, and you’ll go back to step one in the process, how to pick the right therapist for you, or else you’ll move along to the next step… intake paperwork. If this step has you feeling overwhelmed and irritated, stick around for next week’s article, where intake paperwork is exactly what we’re diving into next.
I specialize in helping folks with cPTSD navigate chronic illness and identity formation, and I use attachment theory and trauma-informed, person-centered care to do it. I can see anyone in Oregon over telehealth, and I’m planning to open an in-person space in Newberg for anyone in Yamhill county. Therapy with me involves coping skills to help you stabilize, and deeper work to help you get to the root of things.
A lot of my clients tell me they’ve gotten so good at being who everyone needs that they’re not sure anyone actually knows the real person behind the mask. I help people in those shoes build a life where you get to be fully yourself and still feel deeply connected to the people around you. If that sounds like you, maybe this is your sign to schedule a consult call of your own. I can’t wait to meet you!
What’s the point of a therapy consult call?
One More Gut Check
How Therapy With This Specific Person Works 101
No AI used ever in the making of this (or any other) post :)