“I find that when you open the door toward openness and transparency, a lot of people will follow you through.”
Whether you’ve worked with a therapist in the past or not, having your first session with a new therapist can bring up different feelings like nervousness, hesitancy, and overwhelm. These feelings are normal and part of building trust and establishing a new relationship, in this case, a therapeutic relationship.
Some of us find the process a little less nerve-racking if we know what to expect, or at least if we know how to prepare for our first meeting with our therapist. We can talk about what to expect during your first session with a therapist on a different blog post because I think that is very important to discuss, but today, we will equip you with a list of questions that you can ask your therapist in your first session.
You might be thinking, “Is it ok to ask questions? Isn’t the therapist supposed to ask me questions?” Yes, your therapist will ask you questions, especially on your first visit, to get to know you and learn about why you are seeking therapy services, but you are allowed to ask questions as well. I would say that most of us therapists like it when our clients bring up questions. Therapy should be collaborative, a partnership in which the client and therapist, through the therapeutic alliance, can work together toward change.
Here are 50 questions you might want to ask during your first session. Of course, you might not ask all of them, but these can give you an idea on some topics that might be important for you for a therapist to answer:
Where did you go to school?
What did you study? What was the process for you to become a therapist?
What licenses or certifications do you have?
Why did you choose to be a therapist?
What type of support can I expect from working with you?
How long have you been a therapist?
Have you always been a therapist, or have you had other careers/jobs?
What are some of the social justice issues that are important to you?
Do you consider yourself an advocate? How so?
How do social justice issues affect our mental health?
Do you practice from a social justice informed lens, and what does that look like for you?
What are your views on disability, ableism, inclusion, diversity, and accessibility?
What is your experience in working with people that share marginalized identities?
What do anti-oppressive practices look like for you as a therapist?
Do you think therapy is effective? Why?
Do you prescribe medications?
Do you assign homework or exercises/tasks/reading to do in between sessions?
What would you say is your approach when working with clients in therapy?
How would you be able to support me through what I’m going through right now?
What is your understanding and approach to working with trauma?
What are some of the goals you recommend we work on in therapy?
Do you use any creative modalities in therapy?
What do you think about mindfulness?
Do you take continuing education courses or, how do you keep up with new research, education, or techniques?
What are your areas of specialty?
What are some of your favorite books, therapy-related or not?
How do you take care of your mental health?
Do you practice self-care? What does that look like for you?
What will our sessions look like after this first one/
Do you accept insurance? Why or why not?
Do you have your own therapist?
Why is it essential for you to work with a therapist if you are a therapist?
How would I know if we are a good fit?
How often would we meet?
Do you offer Telehealth (virtual) sessions?
Do you have any social media accounts? And, are current or past clients allowed to follow you?
Is it ok for me to like your content or interact with your therapy social media accounts as your client?
What are your boundaries when it comes to social media?
What are some of your favorite therapy accounts to follow on Instagram?
What are some of your favorite therapy blogs you read?
What happens if I see you at the supermarket or out and about? Do I say ‘hi” to you? Do I ignore you?
Would I have to talk a lot during my sessions?
What sets you apart from other therapists?
What is your approach to helping? Are you confrontational, directive, more guiding, etc.?
Do you have a favorite quote?
What if I have some things I want to share with you in-between sessions? What should I do?
What do I do if I have to reschedule a session with you?
What is your cancellation policy? What if I have an emergency?
How would you describe your personality as a therapist?
What if I decide I no longer want to work with you in the future?
Now that you have some ideas of questions you might want to ask a therapist during your first session, bring your questions in a notebook, a piece of paper, or even written on your phone's notes app. Your voice and perspective are valued, and your questions are welcome here.
If you are looking to collaborate with a therapist, we are here to support you.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON BECOMING A CLIENT, OR CLICK THE BUTTON BELOW IF YOU ARE READY TO SCHEDULE ONLINE NOW! YOU CAN ALSO EMAIL US AT HELLO@TRANSCENDENCECOUNSELINGFL.COM OR CALL OUR OFFICE AT 772-888-0212.
Want to start therapy but are afraid of getting started? Check out Common Misconceptions About Psychotherapy!
Learn more about how therapy helps with managing stress: 5 Ways Therapists Help Their Clients Overcome Stress
Learn more about self-care: 10 Ways To Practice Self-care (that won't cost a thing)!