My health plan provides 3 free counseling sessions. I don’t want to waste a session just to find out that this person doesn’t work for me, or is not a good counselor.
How would you recommend screening potential counselors? What questions would you ask? Also, where can one find reviews of psychologist’s work? None of the potential ones given to me have reviews on Yelp. And Googling their names didn’t provide any reviews.
Thanks,
J.
Just three? That seems like an extremely small amount when you take into account having to build rapport, prioritize and address issues, and begin treatment. Sorry I have no answer for you, but maybe if it’s a serious issue that will take a long time to address, you could look into a psychologist that has a sliding scale?
Actually, money isn’t an issue. If it takes longer than 3 sessions (which I expect it will) we will pay for the additional ones. On the other hand, my frugal nature doesn’t want to waste the free sessions that we do have. That is why I’d like to find out a good way to evaluate a counselor before we actually go on the clock.
J.
An excellent therapist may not mesh with you. A therapist who is considered mediocre may work well for you. Unfortunately, I don’t think there are any rules.
Maybe look up their philosophy? Like psychoanalytic probably doesn’t work for many people, and that one takes more frequent meetings, too. Also what school they went to. I do not mean that you should prefer Harvard over all others, but certain schools have certain philosophies. Also something like cognitive behavioral therapy is best if you have anxiety-type problems, for example. Other factors may be important, like you might not want to meet with someone who is 80 (or not).
But my thoughts too… THREE!? The first meeting is usually pretty tame, anyway.
Best of luck. If there is a way to do this effectively, I have not found it.
You can try looking at the Psychology Today database of therapists. Many therapists describe themselves and their philosophies in-depth. And you can certainly try to get a therapist to answer a few questions for you over the phone, prior to an appointment. I have had occasional success with that. (It is easier with therapists who are in a solo private practice, than it is with those in a practice group that has office staff. Office staff will almost always do their utmost to keep you from talking to the practitioner.) They are selling themselves and their time, and are often not willing to give a lot of it away for free on the telephone.
Also, whether you mesh well with a therapist depends a lot on personalities. I have interviewed therapists over the telephone and read their profiles, thinking they would be a good fit, only to be disappointed that we did not seem to be understanding each other or making progress on key issues later on.
If you are looking for a marriage or family therapist (you say “we”), you should be sure to ask whether the therapist has a specific philosophy. Some therapists are very oriented toward preserving a marriage at all costs; others tend to advise divorce in most instances; and others are neutral to outcome. This is the #1 question to figure out prior to a couples’ counseling session. I would press any counselor (or their staff) for this information prior to making an appointment.
At minimum, call and ask what type of patients the doc treats… Adults, children, couples, depression, OCD, anxiety, behavior, anger, etc. If you’re an adult with OCD and they mostly deal with married couples, then they’re probably not the best fit for you.
Ok, these are good suggestions.
What specific questions would YOU ask if you wanted to interview therapists?
Thanks,
J.
Depends what you’re going to a counselor for. I always look for someone who specializes in the issues that I have. I ask what their experience level is with X disorder. I usually find out about their background and education prior to calling–most people have that on their websites these days. I mostly just look to make sure they got their diploma from a reputable institution (not an online diploma mill). Personally, I prefer Ph.D.s to people with an M.S.W., but that is a personal preference. Sometimes people will list additional certifications and training–if not, I ask if they have it in the area of my concern. Often times, you can find this information in the Psychology Today therapist directory, or on the counselor’s own website.
Ah, understood.
I’ll echo others in saying it’s good to ask what experience they’ve had with condition x. Also, it may be beneficial to ask what type of therapy techniques they use…behavorial therapy, cognitive therapy, etc. I had one therapist who was pretty straightfoward and sympathetic, but she wanted me to do things that addressed my issues up front (like bring my aunt in and have a talk to her face-to-face during the session) that I just wasn’t ready to do, I hadn’t even been to her for very long. Another therapist showed me anxiety-reducing exercises, new viewpoint strategies, and had me analyze my fears and run a mock skit of facing an uncomfortable situation (such as the aunt one above) before actually doing it. I felt more comfortable with the latter therapist but your preference, as well as the therapists’ therapy styles, may vary.
This is a great general-purpose article about things to ask a therapist before making an appointment (also a great site in general):
there is an ongoing support depresssion page here on straight dope this page has several comments about shopping for therapists.
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=685445&page=4
First session is almost always instake, them getting data and history and very little actually getting into matters. I usually go about the second session as a job interview, because hey, they are working for me! Find out if they do the “oh reprogram yourself with happy thoughts” or are they religious based or do they have access to helping you get hooked up other support services (such as grief support groups or other support groups or help you navigate government assistance nightmares) in my case I would already know looking in the mirror all day and chirping “im gettig better ever day in every way!” would not work for me, nor does reciting rote prayers in fact religion can be triggering for me. I know that I need help navigating the govt network…and if you know what some of your triggering issues are ask pointblank "how would you work with me to overcome these? Throw me in the deep end with hard core exposure therapy or help me find me find coping mechanisms and gradually work me through them?
Read the page I posted above, they have a lot of good suggestions and comments and since you are limited (3 sessions? WTF? that is just a sad nod from your insurance company, shame on them) stress that you may need the intake interview to be reviewable by other therapists in the future because of the limited visits.
Most therapists get that it’s hard to find a match sometimes and don’t take it to personal if you “break up” with them.
Good luck