The therapeutic relationship develops between the therapist and the client. It includes growing trust, rapport, and a general positive regard. These qualities can help make your therapy more effective. It can also help you feel supported and that therapy is a collaborative process. Starting therapy can be intimidating and a respectful therapist should aim to help put you at ease. The therapeutic relationship can help you feel more at ease in the vulnerable position of disclosing what brought you to therapy. Many therapists, myself included, offer a free consultation before you come to a session. I offer this in part to see if I can meet your specific needs and to allow you a chance to decide if I am a good fit for you. 

It may be beneficial for you to consider a few things before your free consultation call. Some basics might be:

Do you have any preferences in regards to age, gender, race, ethnicity, religious background?

Do you have a certain day/time that is the only chance you can attend therapy?

What is the main reason you are starting therapy now? Does the counselor have experience with that?

What do you hope to get out of therapy?

What does “safe space” mean to the counselor?

Is there a specific type of therapy you are looking for? What is the main type or modality the therapist practices? Will that meet your goals?

Are there any systemic or cultural issues you feel impact you? What is the counselor’s stance on discussing those in session?

What is the counselor’s stance on things like racism and mental health? Social justice issues? The LGBTQIA+ community? Religion in therapy?

What is your budget for therapy?

How often do you want to attend therapy?

Do you prefer in-person sessions or telehealth sessions?

I will briefly go over a few things that may be useful for you to know during your search for a therapist. First is knowing about the credentials and acronyms therapists use. A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who specialized in psychiatry. Psychiatrists often are the prescribers of medication, manage your medication, can diagnose mental illness, and may only do brief check in visits with you rather than full sessions to discuss your needs and goals. A psychologist may have a doctorate, but are not medical doctors, and provide testing and possibly psychotherapy. A LPC is a Licensed Professional Counselor. They have at minimum a master’s degree and offer talk therapy sessions, the general expectation of what people seeking counseling may be looking for. Social workers may also offer the typically expected talk therapy. They also hold a master’s degree and may be licensed as Licensed Clinical Social Workers. A difference between LPC and LCSW would be that a social work degree often focuses more on societal issues. 

These distinctions can help you narrow your search in what you are looking for in counseling. If you suspect something specific that requires psychological assessment such as Autism, you would be best suited seeking out a psychologist who specializes in that population. Perhaps you have a diagnosis and need medication management and prescriptions, a psychiatrist would be best for you. If you are looking for what can be generalized as talk therapy, an LPC or LCSW would probably best suit your needs. They both can offer multiple modalities, including narrative (talk) therapy, CBT, and many more. They both can offer services to people needing help with a wide array of concerns, including but not limited to, depression, anxiety, ADHD, grief, communication and relationship issues, and trauma. 

Deciding who might best meet your needs is a good starting point in looking for care. All above questions can be applied to any of these mental health professionals. 

Now, since I asked them, I can answer them here for you! And I do offer a free consultation if you have other questions or want to do a vibe check!

Do you have any preferences in regards to age, gender, race, ethnicity, religious background?

I am 41, female, White, and while I am spiritual I do not follow a specific religion. I aim to offer an inclusive space.

Do you have a certain day/time that is the only chance you can attend therapy?

I currently have availability M-W, morning, afternoon, and evening times, in-person and telehealth available in Texas. 

What is the main reason you are starting therapy now? Does the counselor have experience with that?

I have a variety of experiences with clients of all ages and many different backgrounds, let’s talk to find out your specific needs. 

What do you hope to get out of therapy?

I’ll follow your lead on this one. 

What does “safe space” mean to the counselor?

Safe space means creating an atmosphere of non-judgement, empathy, and positive regard for you. Safe space means allowing you to maintain control of your session and needs. It means I hope to make you comfortable and at ease, while recognizing that you are entering a vulnerable state. 

Is there a specific type of therapy you are looking for? What is the main type or modality the therapist practices? Will that meet your goals?

My main modality is Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy. I aim to help you recognize what is and isn’t serving you in your life, how to use your breath and own nervous system to stay regulated, bring awareness to what is causing you harm, and help you to make your thoughts work for you. One outcome I encourage is to help you learn to respond the way you want rather than just falling into a reaction pattern. Any therapy I offer comes from a place of being trauma informed. This means recognizing what and how your experiences and past have impacted you, what you carry with you now, and how to begin healing that wound. 

This is my main approach while I may incorporate other modalities to best meet your specific needs, I have written about those here INSERT LINK HERE. 

Are there any systemic or cultural issues you feel impact you? What is the counselor’s stance on discussing those in session?

I am very open to discussing any issue that you deem relevant and impactful. I do believe we are all acting under many systems and a failure to recognize that would be a disservice to you. 

What is the counselor’s stance on things like racism and mental health? Social justice issues? The LGBTQIA+ community? Religion in therapy?

This is a long one and could become very nuanced, so I will keep it brief on purpose. Racism and mental health are entwined in a variety of ways, certain groups are more likely to be diagnosed, a diagnosis can be culturally unrepresentative and have a more negative impact on BIPOC, being a minority in this country involves navigating oppressive systems every day which is impactful to mental health, being BIPOC may inherently carry a certain level of trauma, and involving dealing with appropriation. 

I believe in reparative justice and recognize that our country is suffering under many issues of social justice.

I aim to be an ally and offer affirmative care to the LGBTQIA+ community.

While I do not follow any certain religion, I am open to you bringing your beliefs into session and discussing them however you see fit. 

What is your budget for therapy?

Please consider what you feel comfortable with, including how many sessions you would want to pay for at that rate. Typically, more than a few sessions or a few weeks will be needed to create lasting change and meet your mental health goals. 

How often do you want to attend therapy?

I typically offer weekly sessions to begin with and am flexible with that. Then depending on your needs, progress, and even budget it may be beneficial for you to switch to bi-weekly. This is one you answer yourself and I can meet you where you are at. 

Do you prefer in-person sessions or telehealth sessions?

Personally, I like both. I offer in-person sessions on Monday and Wednesday and telehealth sessions on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.