How to contact a therapist
How to Reach Out to a Therapist
Have you found yourself in this situation: you’ve decided to visit a therapist and found a couple you’d like to reach out to, but once you sit down to contact them, you have no idea what to say? What are the right therapist questions anyway? We’re here to help you learn how to reach out to a therapist effectively! While reaching out to a therapist can cause anxiety, it’s helpful to know that you don’t need to get into any nitty-gritty details right off the bat. Simply let them know you’re seeking a therapist and go over some very basic details.
Read on for a breakdown of what you should cover in your initial outreach to a therapist, as well as a template you can use as a guide!
SalutationThis may seem simple, but figuring out how to address a therapist can be stressful! In general, “Hi, [First Name]” or “Hi, Dr. [Last Name]” if they’re a doctor, will be perfectly acceptable, especially if you are unsure of the therapist’s pronouns.
Where to start…OK, you’re past the greeting…now how do you begin? This one’s easy–tell them why you’re reaching out. Simply say, “I am interested in starting therapy.” Straightforward and to the point–the theme of this entire blog post!
Check availabilityMany times therapists will note on their website if they are accepting new clients or not, but it’s always a good idea to confirm. You will also want to ask what availability they have for sessions to make sure your schedules are compatible.
Describe what you need help with, but keep it briefThere will be time later to go into specifics, but in your initial email to a therapist, a simple sentence or two about what you’d like to address in therapy is sufficient. Some examples include:
- I struggle with anxiety and it’s affecting my daily life.
- I experienced a traumatic event and need help processing it.
- My partner and I are going through a divorce and would like for our child to talk to someone about it.
A therapist can go more in-depth in a live phone conversation than via email. A phone consultation is not a therapy session, but a 10-to-15-minute introductory conversation where, generally, the therapist will ask questions to gain a better understanding of the concerns you’d like to address, give you an idea of their therapeutic approach, and discuss logistical details about cost and scheduling. This is also a chance to ask any questions you have for the therapist.
Determining fitWhile phone consultations are a great place to learn more about your therapist’s philosophy and therapeutic approach, if the therapist doesn’t provide consultations or if you get nervous when talking on the phone, ask in your initial outreach! Therapist questions could include:
- What is a typical session with you like?
- How should I prepare for my initial session?
- What is my role as a parent during my child’s therapy sessions?
You can ask about cost in your initial email or during the therapist consultation. Therapist questions could include:
- Do you take XYZ insurance?
- If I pay out-of-pocket, how much is a single session?
- Do you provide a sliding scale rate?
Ask about next steps and indicate how they can reach you…and that’s it! You’re done!
Email vs. Phone CallThe above tips can be used whether you choose to call or email a therapist. If you call, it is most likely that you will have to leave a voicemail or speak to a receptionist. In both cases, the basic structure of the communication remains the same: say why you’re calling, confirm availability, give a brief description of issues, ask for a phone consultation, then ask for follow up to discuss next steps (don’t forget to leave a call back number!). You may hold off on asking questions about therapy style, etc., until you can communicate with the therapist directly.
Hi [Therapist],
I am interested in starting therapy. I was curious if you are taking on new clients and what your availability is. I am seeking therapy because [one to two sentences about what you would like to address]. Could we set up a phone consultation to discuss more in depth?
I was also wondering [any questions you have for the therapist about logistics, therapy style, cost, etc.].
Please let me know next steps. [Leave a call back number if applicable.]
Thank you!
[Your Name]
How RightFit can helpRightFit allows you to select therapists that you’d like to contact and compose one email that will be sent–individually, privately, and securely–to them at once. We even provide questions you may want to include in your email in case you get stuck. By making the process quick and seamless, we hope to alleviate anxiety around the process of finding a therapist and to connect you with the right therapist for you so you can get started on your mental health journey.
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Practical tips on how-to – The Shrinking Couch
Nivida Chandra Posted on
When you’ve decided to seek help for your mental health concerns, and are looking for a therapist, the first step is making contact with them.
Getting to this point of seeking help can already be daunting, and thinking about what you’re going to say can be confusing. That’s understandable. A lot is always going on it our lives, and at the times we reach out for help, even more is going on. Here are some tips and ideas that might help.
Initial Contact:
Try not to directly call the therapist. An email or text is preferable. This is not only professional, but gives us an initial space to organize our thoughts and emotions before sharing them. This is not about first impressions, but really about being able to communicate to the therapist why you need their services. They too need this information to decide if and how they can help you.
Don’t feel the pressure to be precise or detailed. Just a hint at the concern is more than sufficient for the initial text or email. For instance,
Dear Ms X, I’ve been experiencing some anxiety about the recent changes in my life circumstances, and would like to explore therapy with you. Are you available for a call or to meet so I can explain further?
Or
Dear Mr Y, My wife and I would like to seek couples counseling to resolve some issues we’re facing. Would you have time in your calendar to see us?
You can also mention details like, “My friend, abc, referred us to you. ” And don’t forget to write your name at the end!
In case you’re emailing, perhaps additional details can be added in a line or two, but I would recommend doing that after the therapist responds to this initial contact. Once the therapist has responded, you’ll most likely set up a time to call, or perhaps they’ll ask you to provide some details in an intake email or form (not too common a practice; most will set up a call).
The first call:
For this, simply try and answer the question: Why do I need therapy today?
Assume that the call will be a short one, say about 10-15 minutes. Since there are many things that are always happening in our lives, answering this question will help organize and prioritize what you’d like to convey to the professional in the very first call and also in your own mind.
Also note down a list of questions that you might have for them. For instance, how much do they charge? How long will the first session be? And any other basic curiosities you might have. In fact, it is likely that the therapist, after listening to you, will tell you a line or two about themselves, like what they charge, their cancellation policy and maybe even their style of practice.
Try to postpone complex and personal curiosities for later. For instance, a question on our minds often is, can I get better? What do you think about my condition? These are questions that the therapist cannot answer in an introductory phone call.
Then:
The conversation will hopefully end with the setting up of an appointment. It could also of course end with you or the therapist declining any further steps. Maybe they don’t have a slot available; maybe you didn’t feel comfortable talking to them.
If you do set up an appointment, don’t be surprised if the therapist asks you for a deposit of some sort. This is not to ensure that you feel forced into going to them, but because many people book a session and don’t go. But the therapist has that slot booked and is waiting to meet you. So the deposit is a token, a recognition that shows your respect for their time. Once therapy begins, this will most likely be discussed and turn into a system where you pay after one or many sessions; that is, it becomes more trust based.
Remember to try therapy for at least a few sessions before making a final decision. However, if you feel your therapist isn’t right for you, discuss that with them. They might refer you to a colleague, or you can always reach out to other professionals on your own.
That’s it. Hopefully, you feel more ready to take the first steps towards getting help. Even if you’re considering therapy, you could benefit from following these steps and having that first conversation and meeting with one or more therapists. This process may help answer some questions that can help you decide if therapy is right for you or not, especially therapy with that particular therapist.
If you have any particular questions or curiosities about the process or would like to share your experiences on contacting or finding a therapist, please feel free to write in to us: writein@theshrinkingcouch. com
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List of therapeutic sites with addresses,located in the service zoneGUZ "City Hospital No. 10 G. Tula"as of 01.2022.9000 9000 SPIRITION OF THE CONTRODUCTION OF THE CONTRODUCTION OF THE CONTRODUSTION8 (4872)33-83-81
Deputy chief physician for polyclinic work:Mirenkov Lenonid Pavlovich(4872) 22-11-76
Contact phone for contacting local doctors: (4872) 39-53-56Make an appointment with a doctor: (4872) 33-83-77, 8-800-450-33-03Emergency care Home: (4872)33-83-81, ODD from 14:00 to 19:00)Therapist Koryagin Oleg Yurievich
section No. 2(reception hours: even from 8:00 to 14:00, odd from 14:00 to 19:00)Plubitsyn Gennady9000 | |||||||||||||||||||
st. M. Zhukova | d. No. 14, 14A, 14B, 14B | ||||||||||||||||||
10 Passage | d. No. 1 - 1G; 3, 5, 7; 2 - A, B, D; 4,6,8 | ||||||||||||||||||
11 Passage | d. No. 1 - A, B, C; 3, 5, 7; 2, 4, 6, 8 | ||||||||||||||||||
12 Passage | d. No. 1 - 1 G - 5A | ||||||||||||||||||
13 Passage | d. No. 16/9, 7, 10 | ||||||||||||||||||
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17 Passage | d. No. 3 - to the end both sides | ||||||||||||||||||
18 Passage | d. No. 21 - 81; 89; 91; 46 - 94; 98 | ||||||||||||||||||
st. Friendship | d. No. 5, 5A, 7, 11, 15, 17 | ||||||||||||||||||
Parachute passage | d. No. 3 - 19; 4 – 18 |
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Physician Bakhareva Ekaterina Nikolaevna
d. No. 73, 75, 77A, 79, d. No. 56 - 92 | |
10 Passage | d. No. 9 - 21; 10 – 22 |
11 Passage | d. No. 9 - 21; 10 – 22 |
12 Passage | d. No. 9- 21; 10 – 22 |
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