Approaching a New Therapist

Approaching a therapist, a new one or approaching one for the first time can provoke feelings of nervousness. This is completely normal, you are ready for help, but you are aware that you will be entering a world that will provoke some uncomfortable feelings about your experiences, yourself and others. You may not know how much the therapist needs to know in the first phone call, so below are some key points to consider.

As a therapist running a busy private practice, my passion is to help. However, what comes with having a busy practice is challenges with my time, which means I don’t have endless time to have conversations on the phone.

This is why I have 30-minute free initial assessments to ensure we meet and I have time to hear what you need before we work together. My response time to your enquiry is the same day, unless it falls on a weekend, in which case look out for a reply on Monday morning.

This gives us a focused 30 minutes, about you, without interruption, as opposed to cutting short a phone call because my next client has arrived. These can be done in person or online. This also enables you to make sure you feel comfortable with me as a therapist, an important part of the therapeutic process.

Here are some points to consider when trying to find the right therapist for you:

Do’s:

Be clear and concise in your initial message: State your reason for reaching out (e.g., “I’m interested in scheduling an initial consultation”). You don’t need to go into extensive detail about your issues at this stage, as this would be covered in the initial consultation.

Enquire about their availability for an initial consultation: Suggest some general availability if you have it, but be flexible. As a busy therapist, I will always work towards a client’s preferred appointment; however, the perfect appointment time for you may not be available immediately.

Ask about their consultation fee (if applicable): Some therapists offer free initial calls, while others charge. It’s good to know upfront. For me, it’s displayed on my website for ease.

Provide your preferred contact information: Let them know the best way to reach you (phone or email) and your availability for a call back. As therapists, we don’t know your situation, so we don’t want to compromise you, so please make it clear.

Be patient: We appreciate that when you do not feel great and you have made the leap to get help, you want it now. However, we are busy with other clients.

Therapists can be busy, so allow a couple of business days for a response. My process is to reply to enquiries within the same day or at the latest the morning after. Some therapists may take 48 hours or longer.

Keep your tone polite and respectful.

Please don’t feel impolite texting or emailing. Again, being busy, it can be the quickest way to get hold of us. It enables us to quickly read your enquiry, reply and get you booked in for the free initial consultation.

Don’ts:

Don’t share your entire life story in the initial contact: This first message is just to enquire about a consultation. You’ll have time to discuss your concerns in more detail later at the consultation. You don’t know if the therapist is the right therapist for you, so you may feel you have overshared if you find the fit isn’t right.

Don’t demand immediate availability or very specific availability. Understand that their schedule might not align perfectly with yours. Having some flexibility will enable you to get an appointment sooner rather than later

Don’t be overly casual or informal: Maintain a professional and respectful tone.

Don’t make assumptions about their expertise: If you have specific needs, you absolutely but briefly mention them (e.g., “I’m looking for someone experienced in anxiety”). You can ask more detailed questions during the consultation.

As you may be tempted to contact multiple therapists, please be clear that you either want to work online or you can actually get to the practice where they work. Confusion can happen when people feel unwell; they can call multiple therapists and then realise they are out of the area.