What to expect from an introductory phone call with a therapist?
When you’re trying to find a therapist to work with it may be helpful to have an introductory phone call before starting therapy. Each therapist who offers this may do so in a slightly different way. Here I give a summary about that to expect from a call with me.
What to expect:
An introductory phone call is a chance for us to talk briefly before booking an initial consultation.
I offer about 20 minutes, for free.
You’ll need to be somewhere safe, private, and in the UK.
We can discuss anything about possibly working together, answer any questions, discuss practicalities, and next steps.
What to talk about:
Usually, we’ll talk briefly about what sort of support you’re looking for and any other questions that come up. Here are some questions that I hold in mind and might be helpful to reflect on or may bring up some of your own:
• What do you want to get from this call?
• Is there anything that feels important to ask or check with me?
• What are your expectations of therapy?
Maybe having questions in mind isn’t so important and having a conversation to see how we get on is your focus, maybe you’ve got your own list of questions already. We can use the time how you’d like, though it’s not counselling, psychotherapy or an initial consultation.
What’s next after the intro phone call:
At the end of the call I usually suggest we take some time to think it over and get back in touch if you’d like to book an initial consultation.
Based on what’s discussed in the phone call if either of us don’t think I’ll be the right person to work with you then we can discuss options for support elsewhere. Usually, we would need to arrange an initial consultation to assess this fully, but if this is clear to either of us at the point of the phone call then it’s best to be up front about it to ensure you’re getting the most appropriate support.
Bear in mind the limited time we have on the phone call to ensure we’re using the time in a way that feels most useful. My website has lots of information about practicalities, a bit about me and how I work, so some questions may be answered there if you’ve not already had a look. You’re also welcome to send a brief email where I can answer some practical questions.