Questions to ask a therapist or counselor in Dallas, Texas
Maybe you’ve found a few therapists in #Dallas that seem okay. Most of them suggest a phone consultation before scheduling your first counseling session. But, you’re not sure what you should ask.
Questions to ask a Therapist in Dallas, Texas
Question #1: What sort of experience do you have with the issues I am looking for help with?
Knowing about your therapist’s experience is important in beginning to build trust that they can help with whatever you’re struggling with. For example, if you’re looking for trauma therapy, Amanda would share about her 10 years of experience in the field treating trauma and her specialized trainings in modalities such as Brainspotting and Safe and Sound Protocol for the treatment of trauma and anxiety. Regarding disordered eating, Amanda and Allison would both share about their years of experience working in higher level of care settings focused on eating disorders. For couples counseling, Allison would share about her passion for working with couples that has grown in her seven years of private practice experience and training in Prepare/Enrich and the Gottman Method.
Question #2: What can I expect from our sessions?
Asking about what you can expect from sessions with the therapist will help in giving you an idea of if this therapist is a good fit for you. This question will also help you feel more prepared before going into your first therapy session. At Crescent Counseling, you can expect goal setting and rapport building in your first therapy session. In sessions with us going forward, you can also expect authentic feedback, assignments for outside of sessions to help in your growth, and some humor along the way!
Question #3: Do you think you can help me? How?
You’re looking for a good fit in a therapist. It’s okay to ask the therapist what they think about your potential fit with them as well. This may prompt the therapist to ask questions if they need more information from you and open the conversation if they have a different referral for you. At Crescent Counseling, both Amanda and Allison value transparency and authenticity, so they will let you know how they see you fitting within their specialties and the ways in which they best work with clients. We are both happy to help refer you to someone else in the Dallas community when the fit may be better.
Question #4: Should I bring anything to therapy?
In preparing to start therapy, you may want to know if your therapist recommends you bring anything to your therapy sessions. Besides yourself of course, we recommend you bring a notebook and something to write with because you may want to makes some notes about things you want to remember from your sessions. We also love to see you bring water with you. You may want layers as well. Texas weather changes so often, and we want you to feel comfortable in session, whether that means bundling up in something cozy or being able to lose a layer to cool down.
Question #5: How will I know if therapy is working?
You’re looking for a therapist because you’re ready for some sort of change. You’ll want an idea of how you’ll know if therapy is helping and what to do if it’s not. Amanda and Allison will engage in outcome conversations with you to periodically check in on what is different since you started therapy. We may use written assessments from time to time either in individual therapy or in couples counseling to set goals and evaluate change. We want to have ongoing, collaborative conversations and help connect you with the resources throughout the Dallas community we believe may best help you. We want to know if there is anything we could do to better help you in our work together.
Question #6: How much will sessions cost?
It’s important to understand the financial investment you can expect with your new therapist. At Crescent Counseling, you can expect your first 50-minute therapy session to be $175, with all subsequent 50-minute therapy sessions costing $150 per session. We will also help you navigate using Reimbursify to access out-of-network benefits, helping you determine if you have out-of-network benefits and filing claims for free if so. We will work together with you to establish a frequency of sessions that meets your needs, and well will continually check in on our progress towards your goals.
