How does a person start the counseling process?
How does someone approach a counselor?
Great question! You can find a counselor by doing an internet search or by asking your doctor for a referral. Once you have the name and contact information for a therapist you want to meet with, give them a call. Some therapists will provide a free 15-20 minute phone consultation. This is a good chance for you to get some questions asked. Be sure to ask about their fee, if you want to use your insurance ask them if they take your insurance. Next you will want to ask about availability to make sure they have open times that fit in your schedule. Once you make the appointment, in the first session you have with the therapist, the therapist will ask a lot of questions about what brought you into therapy and what you hope to accomplish in therapy. I usually use the last 10 minutes of that first session talking with clients about how I might be able to help them with their concern and I gather feedback from them. Here is a link to an article about how to speak with your therapist in those first couple of sessions.http://thriveworks.com/blog/tips-open-honest-counselor/