What Is Involved in an Initial Mental Health Consultation?

If you’re looking for a therapist, you may have noticed phrases like “initial consultation” or “initial mental health consultation.” Are you about to attend your first mental health consultation, or curious about what an initial consultation entails? We figured. Read on to learn all about it. 

Your first conversation with a new mental health provider is exciting. You are taking significant steps to manage your mental health and conquer your goals. A mental health consultation is a perfect time to assess whether or not someone is a right-fit therapist for you. Consider this initial consultation an opportunity to “try them out” – see if you “click” with them, share your goals, and pay attention to how they talk about what you share.

Is this someone you want as an ally on your personal journey? Do they share insights that resonate with your values? Does their approach to therapy work with what you want to get out of the experience? The initial consultation will help you think through these questions. 

What to Expect from an Initial Consultation

Your first conversation with a new mental health provider is exciting. You are taking significant steps to manage your mental health and conquer your goals. A mental health consultation is a perfect time to assess whether or not someone is a right-fit therapist for you. Consider this initial consultation an opportunity to “try them out” – see if you “click” with them, share your goals, and pay attention to how they talk about what you share.

Initial consultations often take place over the phone or video chat and typically run anywhere from 10-30 minutes, depending on the provider. During this time, you’ll get to know the therapist and their practice. They’ll most likely have some questions for you about what you’re looking for, what your concerns are, and what your schedule looks like. They’re trying to assess whether or not they are well-suited to helping you with your concerns. But this is also an opportunity for you to find out what you want to know.

Is this someone you want as an ally on your personal journey? Do they share insights that resonate with your values? Does their approach to therapy work with what you want to get out of the experience? The initial consultation will help you think through these questions. Choosing the right therapist is an important aspect of getting what you need, and it’s worth the effort to prepare a bit before your initial consultation. 

How to Prepare for an Initial Mental Health Consultation

Write Down Your Concerns

The first thing you can do to prepare for your mental health consultation is to write down your concerns. Your list might include symptoms you’re experiencing, difficulties you’re facing, or issues you’d like to explore. Having this list in front of you during an initial consultation will help you ensure you mention everything that you want to bring up with the therapist. Trying to come up with or recall all that information on the spot can be difficult. 

Prepare to Ask Questions

Asking questions is a great tool to help you decide if a therapist is a good fit during your initial mental health consultation. While the therapist will certainly have questions to ask you, too, having some prepared to ask them will help you learn the information that is important to you. 

7 Questions to Ask Your Therapist

#1 What is your specialty?

Most therapists have multiple specialties (or types of therapy and client concerns they specialize in). This does not necessarily mean their specialties cover your specific needs. For example, if someone battling addiction is seeking the help of a mental health professional, the provider needs to have experience in that area in order to be effective.

#2 How long have you been practicing? Tell me about your experience. 

Listening to a therapist talk about their experience will help you understand what they’ve seen and what they can help with. It’s important to note that many therapists have a variety of experiences that are relevant to their practice, both professionally and personally. 

#3 How much will I pay? 

While more and more therapists are accepting insurance, many don’t – and almost all will accept private-pay clients. One perk of private-pay options is that your therapist doesn’t have to submit a mental health diagnosis to an insurance company. Make sure to ask them about their fees, sliding-scale opportunities, and any pre-paid, discounted, multi-session packages they may offer so you can make the arrangements you need to cover the cost of therapy. 

#4 How often will we meet?

The therapist might have an idea in mind for the frequency of your therapy sessions. This may differ depending on your needs, and will likely be subject to change based on your progress. 

#5 What will my treatment plan look like?

Is there a concrete treatment plan that they want you to follow? This is important for helping you stay engaged and setting expectations for your work together. If you’re interested in a specific type of therapy this provider offers, like EMDR or Brainspotting, now is a great time to bring it up. 

#6 Do you assign homework? 

Many therapists will give their clients “homework,” or things to work on in-between visits. Therapy homework may include techniques to try, exercises to practice, and coping strategies to use.

#7 I want to work with you. What happens next? 

If you’ve made up your mind and decided to go with this therapist after your initial mental health consultation, you should ask what the next steps are going to include. These next steps may include “homework,” coordinating with your insurance, scheduling your first therapy session, and more.

The Value of an Initial Consultation

If you decide to work with a therapist after an initial consultation, that’s great, but even if you decide they’re not the best fit for you, your time was not spent in vain. It’s very helpful to find this out before you settle on a therapist, and if you have concerns that are outside this particular therapist’s scope of practice, they may have recommendations for you of therapists who do work with folks that have your sort of concerns. 

Many therapists offer this initial mental health consultation for free. To find someone in your area who offers this, click here to search by zip code or city and then filter your results by Pricing>Free Initial Consultation. 

Things Aren’t That Bad: 5 Reasons People Give to Avoid Getting Professional Help

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 1 in 5 adults experience mental illness, but not all of them seek out professional help. In fact, nearly 60% of adults with mental illness do not seek mental health help. With a seemingly endless list of consequences, not getting help for mental illness can result in increased dependency on substances, increased risk of suicide, disruptions in your everyday life, and much more. Even though it is dangerous to avoid getting professional help, many adults still do. Below are five common excuses for avoiding therapy… and reasons to push past them. 

Common Excuses to Avoid Therapy

#1: “Things Aren’t as Bad as They Seem.”

Even if you’re dealing with a myriad of mental health-related issues, it’s very common for you to tell yourself and others that things are really not that bad. This excuse is often used when other individuals in your life point out differences in your behavior or notice you are going through a difficult time. Even though you are showing noticeable changes in your normal self, saying things are not as bad as they seem is an excuse that seeks to diminish those concerns. But this excuse suggests a “tough it out” attitude about mental health issues, which often doesn’t lead you out of those issues, but merely allows them to persist. You don’t have to suffer alone. 

#2: “Therapy Is Too Expensive.”

A common concern and excuse for avoiding professional help is the cost of therapy. Yes, therapy can be expensive, but not always. Depending on several cost factors, insurance may make it more affordable than you realize. Some therapists offer sliding scale rates, meaning that they have room in their practice for clients who need discounted rates. There may also be affordable and accessible mental health services in your area, just waiting to be explored. 

#3: “I Don’t Need Therapy.”

Sometimes we view professional help as a luxury or something that should only be used by people who suffer from seemingly “worse” mental health conditions than whatever we’re dealing with. The truth is, most mental health issues that adults experience are not considered severe at first, but they can become dangerous if left unattended. For example, mild depression or anxiety, left to fester, can grow into major depressive disorder. Seeking professional help can help you get your symptoms under control before they become overwhelming or dangerous. 

It’s important to note as well that constantly living in state of stress, depression, or anxiety can actually do a lot of harm to your everyday life. You don’t have to “hit rock bottom” for your struggle to be worthy of attention and care. You matter, your quality of life matters, and pursuing your own mental health is worthy no matter how things are going.

Keep in mind the ripple effects of learning better coping mechanisms, healthier ways of interacting, a strong self-image, and direction in personal growth over time. Learning to fight better with your partner, replacing your negative self-image with a positive one, or recovering from childhood trauma are treasures that you will take into every day for the rest of your life.

#4: “I Don’t Know Where to Start.”

If you don’t know where to start in seeking professional help, there are two great places to go. If you have an insurance carrier, you should start by calling them. The number of your insurance provider can usually be found on the back of your insurance card. You can learn more about your coverage for services and receive recommendations about covered professional help in your area directly from them. The second option is to look at an online directory of therapists. Here, you can find a list of therapists in your area who are ready to help.

#5: “I’m Too Busy.”

We all know that life can get busy, and it can seem like we do not have time to spare. This can feel especially true when we’re considering something we do not really feel excited about. But making time to get professional help is worth it. With the support of a therapist, you can learn to manage your mental illness, pursue personal growth in a way that frees you to be your best self, and let go of things that just aren’t serving you. There is always time for that. 

It Is Time to Get Professional Help 

No matter your situation, if you’re struggling with your mental health, you should seek professional help. To learn more about a therapist in your area who is ready to help you, click here.