Questions to ask a therapist in Austin

Life in Austin is full of live music, great weather and amazing people! The diversity in Austin makes finding the right therapist for you absolutely possible but it might take time to sift through all of the options. Most therapists offer a consultation before setting up a first session, but how are you to know what to ask, what to look for? How do know know its going to be a good fit for your unique situation?

Questions to ask a therapist in Austin

I am often asked if I have any recommendations for therapists or how to find a therapist (see my blog post about this here). While I know a lot of great therapists, not every great therapist is going to be a great fit for every person. I want to empower each person to be able to have a successful consultation phone call with a therapist (and successful might mean that it is not a good fit).

Question #1: Do you have experience working with the issues I am looking for help with?

Most therapists specialize in certain issues or populations and it is important to know that your therapist has experience in the area that you need. For me, my specialities include grief and loss, anxiety and trauma specifically in women who are navigating the journey to motherhood. During an initial consultation I will talk about my experience working in the outpatient obstetrics and gynecology clinic and the NICU, as well as being trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. If a client is calling me looking for help as they navigate alcohol addiction, I would explain that addictions are not in my scope of practice and help them get connected with therapists who are trained and experienced in that field.

Question #2: What does a typical session look like with you?

Some therapists have a set routine for each session which might start with a breathing exercise, followed by a check in regarding events from the past week, a review of any homework completed since the last session, continuation of the working goals and ending with a wrap up visualization exercise or homework for the next week. My style of therapy is more fluid and less structured. I feel it is important to meet my clients where they are and start there for the session. We make progress as we connect the current events to the overall goals of therapy overtime.

The timing of session might also be different from therapist to therapist. My sessions are scheduled for 50 minutes and called “an hour” however, some work requires more time and are 60-90 minutes. This is very common in trauma work when the therapist utilizes EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing).

Question #3: How will you and I know if therapy is working?

Therapy often is not a linear process where each week you meet the issue at hand continues to resolve, so asking about outcomes is really important at the start of the therapeutic relationship. In my experience, the presenting problem that nudges clients to start therapy is not the only one that ends up getting worked on throughout the sessions. It is a starting point and gives the therapist a lot of good information about where we are starting but is just a hint at where we might be going. Each therapist has their own way of tracking progress. In my experience, setting therapy goals and revisiting them monthly allows us to make sure we are staying on track with the main goals even as we allow other work to be done. Checking in monthly also gives the client enough time outside of the sessions to try out any new techniques during real life. Progress with therapy goals may feel like they take a “two steps forward, one step back.” As long as we are aware and checking in, we can adjust the goals or adjust the treatment as needed.

Questions #4, #5 & #6: What is your schedule like? How long will I be in therapy? What is the cost?

These are all practical and very important questions to ask during your consultation. If your schedule only allows you to schedule an appointment on weekdays before 10:00am, you need to know if the therapist offers sessions at that time.

It is also important to know what length of time you might be committing too. Again, this is therapist dependent. There are therapy approaches that are based on theories with specific timelines, such as 12 sessions, 1 per week. Other therapists allow the client and their progress to lead the way. Once the client feels as though the problem is resolved, they might taper off to every other week for a month, then once a month for a couple of months. Each therapist will have a general idea based on their experience working with clients that have similar situations and presenting problems to yours. This time frame may change as therapy progresses so keep that in mind and don’t be afraid to check in with your therapist over the months.

Cost is definitely a consideration. Asking if the therapist is in network with your insurance might be at the top of your list of questions. If you don’t have insurance that includes mental health coverage, then you’ll want to ask for the per session fee. Currently, my session fee is $125/ 50 minutes. Combined with the information that you gathered about how often you’ll come to therapy and how long to expect to be in therapy, will allow you to budget accordingly. As of January 1, 2022, therapists are required to provide a Good Faith Estimate which will give you an idea of the overall cost for your individual situation.

I hope this helps you find the right therapist in Austin. If you are still feeling stuck, feel free to call me at (512) 641-9528 for a free 15-minute phone consultation. I’d be happy to hear about what is happening and help direct you to the right person. If you are looking for help with anxiety or navigating the journey to motherhood, you can read more about how I can help here.