Virtual Therapy In Ontario, Canada In Person Therapy in Hamilton & London
Therapy is often seen as a vulnerable and intimidating decision, whether motivated by a particular life experience, the need for a safe space to express their feelings, or the yearning for self-improvement, joining the therapeutic experience can become a life-altering experience. As therapists, our goal is to attend to your needs and support you through every obstacle or feeling that comes your way, or you are currently dealing with.
This being said, as a client, whether new to therapy or accustomed to it, bringing particular questions to your therapist at the start of your journey is critical for all members of the therapeutic alliance. To ensure you have a therapist who will meet your needs and goals, come as prepared as possible. Be sure to ask the most essential questions to your therapist during the initial session.
Below, I have given 10 questions that are applicable to asking your therapist within the first session.
All of these questions are great initially. Ensuring that your therapist is qualified, educated, and has the experience to work with you is important, as it means that you are in great hands. Asking outright if your therapist has qualifications can help you feel more comfortable and avoid any surprises in the future. For example, if you are dealing with ADHD concerns, you want a therapist who has worked with ADHD patients in the past and knows what will come with such clients. If the therapist mainly specializes in trauma, this therapist may not be the right fit for you.
It is a priority for the therapist to communicate the price of each session to you and ensure that you get as much coverage throughout your long-term sessions as possible. If the price is a dealbreaker for you, it is important to let your therapist know; that way, they can potentially offer you a sliding scale.
What is a sliding scale, you may ask?
A sliding scale is a flexible payment model used by mental health professionals to make their services more affordable and accessible to individuals with financial constraints.
For example, suppose a client is paying out of pocket, meaning they do not have insurance coverage for therapy. In that case, your therapist may then offer you a sliding scale that is more flexible based on your income and finances. Don’t be nervous to ask your therapist for this; their job is to ensure you get as many sessions as you can based on your lifestyle!
Cancellation fees are also a good question to ask if you have a busy schedule. This being said, staying committed to therapy is essential for your recovery and/or improvements.
Also, understanding how much insurance coverage you have is essential for the therapist to judge how many sessions you will get overall and/or whether you will eventually have to pay out of pocket.
Being aware of how long your therapy journey will be is important as a client. The duration of therapy is typically client-centered and is dependent on your issues. Based on your issues, your therapist will create a treatment plan that can vary for each type of therapy. For example, if your therapist uses Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy, the treatment typically takes as long as 12 sessions but can be extended based on your needs,
This is critical to gauge how your therapeutic journey will go in terms of how often you’ll attend and how long each session may be. Therapists usually recommend weekly sessions, but they can move to bi-weekly, if need be, based on your schedule as a client. Sessions can last anywhere from 30 to 120 minutes, so knowing how long your sessions will last is critical to your understanding.
These questions may seem more intimidating if you are unaware of the types of therapy and treatment approaches, but having this information can help educate you on what therapy you may endure. If you are unaware of the type of therapy your therapist specializes in, you are always welcome to ask what it looks like.
Suppose you have been to therapy and are familiar with a specific type of modality. In that case, sharing this with your therapist is always beneficial, especially if you found that treatment approach effective.
As psychotherapists, one cannot diagnose you but can recommend you see your family doctor or psychiatrist if you are keen on a diagnosis. Also, if one is diagnosed with a mental illness, medications, and treatment together are highly recommended for the best outcome. Depending on your assessment and symptoms, your therapist will determine your best route in terms of treatment.
Asking these questions may be effective for your reassurance, yet you may not want to get ahead of yourself this early on. Your therapist should be able to give you guidelines to help track your progress at home. Asking your therapist for feedback can also play an effective role in your perception of progression.
These questions are essential for your safety and security. It is entirely unethical for any therapist to share your information unless they are under supervision or have to breach confidentiality due to concerns for the client or others. Asking questions regarding privacy can give the client a sense of reassurance and stability that they can speak on anything without fear of judgment or exposure.
This being said, your therapist is ethically obligated to breach confidentiality in exceptional cases, such as if there is imminent harm to oneself or others or suspicions of child abuse.
Therapy homework is typically given to clients to help maximize the benefits of their treatment process and get the most value out of their journey. It is common for therapists to provide homework for their clients, such as completing an activity log to help with a routine or commitment to goals. For example, homework is an essential component of cognitive behavioural therapy.
Asking your therapist what will happen if your homework is uncompleted is a good question to see how committed your therapist is to you. You are not going to get punished if your homework is not completed, yet it does give your therapist insight into how well you are at managing certain aspects of the therapy process. Except for emergencies, your therapist will also be understanding of anything significant that may get in the way!
Expectations are generally a good start to conversations with your therapist. Most often, the expectations are very limited; committing to the therapy process is one of the major ones. Other than this, therapists do not generally have high expectations for their clients. We want you to feel comfortable enough to be your most authentic version of yourself, allowing yourself to release any and everything that comes up.
Your expectations about your therapist can include a safe and confidential space, active listening, and insight. If you have general prior knowledge of what therapy looks like, it is always important to let your therapist know what exactly you are looking for in terms of a therapeutic relationship!
Goals are a great conversational topic, as you may already know the goals you want to reach, and your therapist will want to help you achieve them! Ultimately, your goals are up to you, and the therapist will help direct you to your long-term targets.
When you know you have reached your goals, your therapist can educate you on how long the process typically takes based on their clinical approach. Typically, you and your therapist will collaborate to set and track specific goals for your journey. No therapist is the same as another; however, your therapist should always be checking with you about your goals throughout the whole process.
This blog post contains many questions you can ask your therapist; this being said, none of these questions are required to be asked; it is more from your comfort and security!