How You Can Prepare for a Therapy Consultation

Before I work with anyone (maybe even you), I always offer a free 15-20 minute consultation session. The consultation is an opportunity for me to learn a little more about you and for you to learn a little bit more about me. The consultation is also an opportunity for you to ask any questions you might have about my approach, my experience, and therapy in general. 

Every interaction that I have with my clients and potential clients is trauma-informed. What does that mean? 

A trauma-informed approach acknowledges the existence of traumatic experiences in someone’s life and works toward minimizing harm while supporting healing. 

In the context of therapy consultations, I do my best to create safety from the beginning of our interaction to the end. For me, that means making my expectations clear about what the consultation means to me and letting you, the potential client, know what they can expect as well. 

Setting expectations like this can make the consultation feel more safe for you, it can help to establish trust between the two of us, and minimize the potential for you, the potential client, to be retraumatized or triggered in the consultation. 

Here’s what you can expect in a consultation call with me: 

• I will not ask you directly what specifically is bringing you to therapy but if you wish to share this in the consultation you are welcome to share. (i.e. how the death of your important person occurred)

• I will not pressure you into booking an appointment at the end of our consultation. At the end of every consultation call I say “At this point in the call I usually ask if you’d like to book an appointment or take some time to think about it.” and at that time you book an appointment or share that you want more time to think. 

Here are questions that I typically ask in a consultation:

• What are your hopes for therapy? What do you hope to feel, do, or be with the help of therapy? The answer to this question will help to measure the progress we’re making in our work together. 

• Have you accessed therapy in the past? What did you like or not like about it? If you know what you like, I will do my best to do that too. If there are things that you don’t like, I will avoid them. The goal here is to develop a relationship between the two of us that feels comfortable to you. 

• How much therapy are you looking for? A single therapy session? A short term relationship (6-8 sessions)? A longer relationship (8+ sessions)? And what frequency (once per week, every other week, once per month)? The answer to this question will help me frame our work together. I am happy to base our work on the number of sessions that your budget, schedule, and any other factors allow. 

• Are you looking for in-person or virtual therapy? I offer therapy in both of these formats. I offer therapy in person at my office in downtown Toronto (College & Bathurst), virtually online using a platform that is secure and private.

• My rate per session is $165*. Are you comfortable with that rate? I don’t keep my session rate a secret. I want you to make an informed decision about your therapy journey and that includes how much it costs to work with me.

*If you have extended health benefits and you have coverage for registered psychotherapy, you can likely claim our work together and be reimbursed for a portion of the session fee.

I might also ask you:

• How are you coping right now? 
• How is your sleep? 
• Are you eating regularly?
• Have you felt like this before? 
• What is the name of the significant person in your life who died (if applicable)?

Here are some questions you may want to ask me or any other therapist that you are having consultations with:

• What is your experience with clients who have [specific issue you’re dealing with]?
• What therapeutic approaches or techniques do you use?
• Have you worked with clients from similar backgrounds or circumstances to mine? (e.g., specific cultural, gender, or life stage considerations.)
• What does a typical session look like?
• What kind of commitment do you think my situation might require?(e.g., short-term or long-term therapy.)
• Do you provide resources or referrals if I need additional support?

Throughout the consultation process, and after the consultation itself, you should consider: 

• Do I feel comfortable talking with this therapist?
• Do I feel they listen to and understand me?
• Can I see myself opening up to this person?

If the answer to any of these questions is NO, I would encourage you to ask more questions or meet with another therapist.