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Self Preparation
How we prepare ourselves for therapy can sometimes make or break the success of the therapeutic work. Once you have made the decision to seek change in yourself and/or your relationships -- what next? To help you prepare, please consider the following questions.
1) What issues would you like to work on? Do you have some idea of what the change would look like if you were seeing it happen before your eyes? What exactly would you or whomever be doing differently?
2) What additional work are you prepared to do in order to effect the change you are seeking? Not all problems are as clear-cut as they seem to be on their surface.
3) Who will be included in the therapy? You? Your partner? Family members? Friends?
4) What duration of therapy is appropriate for the kind of change you would like to make? Brief, solution-focused, longer-term?
5) Do you have a preference for a male or female therapist? Sometimes clients benefit from having a therapist the same sex of the person with whom they have issues. For example, for someone who wants to change their relationship with their mother, they might want to choose a female therapist.
6) Which times and days are you available? Do you have a time slot that is normally available?
7) Which locations are convenient for you? Is convenience more important than the therapist’s qualifications or the “fit”?
8) What is your budget for therapy? Do you need a sliding fee scale? Do you need or wish to use your insurance? If so, does your insurance cover the type of therapy you are seeking? For example, most insurances do not cover couples therapy. This information is helpful to know before you begin making calls.
9) What level of education is appropriate for your counseling need? Are you seeking medication, assessment, or therapy? A counselor’s educational background will give you some guidance as to their focus with clients. For example, an MD Psychiatrist is trained in prescribing drugs, a Ph.D., is trained in the assessment and treatment of mental illness, whereas a Master’s level LMFT or LMHC therapist has been trained primarily to do therapy. LICSW’s have adjoining tracks in therapy and social resources.
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What Clients Say
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