[googley]

I am starting the process of looking for a new T because I am going to be moving. I was wondering if people have suggestions of what questions would be good to ask a new T to try and find a good match. I am probably going to be doing this over the phone. Because of issues with insurance it's probably going to be hard for me to 'shop around'. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks.

googley, it depends on what is important to you to have in a therapist. I think it's always good to know their level of experience. If you're looking for a therapist with experience in a certain area, you should ask that. I have a friend who just found a therapist - she really wanted a Christian counselor, so that was one of her questions to therapists. I have to occasionally reschedule appointments due to business trips, so I had to find a therapist who had available evening hours but was also willing to be flexible and reschedule when need be. Of course, it's good to ask about fees, unless you already know your co-pay from insurance - but even then, it's good to ask how it's handled - do you pay every week, or does the therapist bill you once a month? And another big one, if it's important to you, would be asking what type of therapy that therapist practices. I knew that I wanted someone with a more psychoanalytical approach when I was shopping for T's, so that was a big prerequisite for me.

Good luck!

[sunrise]

Originally Posted by googley

I was wondering if people have suggestions of what questions would be good to ask a new T to try and find a good match. I am probably going to be doing this over the phone. Because of issues with insurance it's probably going to be hard for me to 'shop around'. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

googley, I think it's really helpful to visit the Ts in person so you can get a feel for what they are like and if you "click" with them or not. They say the most important predictor of success in therapy is the therapeutic relationship, and I would think the ability to assess the potential for a good relationship over the phone would be difficult. I think Ts are used to clients coming for a first session to check them out. They also get to know you a little and your concerns and decide whether your issues are within their scope of practice. So if at all possible, try to visit them. You could figure out beforehand if they are covered by your insurance and only visit the ones that your insurance will reimburse (if that is an essential for you). One thing that I liked about my first visit with my current T was that he sized up my issue and then told me how he would proceed. This gave me a lot of confidence in him, because he wanted to try EMDR, and I had never heard of it before, and I felt stuck and needed something different (my previous T had done talk therapy and we had reached a dead end with that). So it was really helpful to get this impression of how he would go about helping me. He also talked about "healing" and I had never thought of that word in confunction with myself. I needed to "heal"? I didn't know that. I am not sure we would have had a conversation about "healing" over the phone. At one point I got a shamanistic vibe from him, as he said to me, with some power, "I'm not a therapist, I'm a healer." I don't think I would have learned any of the things that drew me to him from a phone call.

Originally Posted by sunrise

googley, I think it's really helpful to visit the Ts in person so you can get a feel for what they are like and if you "click" with them or not. They say the most important predictor of success in therapy is the therapeutic relationship, and I would think the ability to assess the potential for a good relationship over the phone would be difficult.

I agree with sunrise. I had a very hard time finding a therapist 2 years ago and eventually gave up, but I lucked out in finding my T this time. The biggest obstacle for me was in finding someone with evening appointments, I couldn't believe how hard that was! One therapist was kind enough to give me some referrals, though, and I told her that I wanted a female T with a psychoanalytical background - that's how I found my T.

Two years ago, I called several therapists, trying to find one with availability. One therapist kept me on the phone for at least 10 minutes, asking personal questions, only to tell me at the end of the conversation that she didn't accept my insurance but still thought she could help me. Another therapist who was covered by my insurance sounded nice on the phone, but the session left me with a bad feeling - I knew I couldn't work with her after meeting her and seeing how she conducted herself in a session, so I gave up on therapy until now. My current T didn't ask me any questions on the phone, we just set up the first appointment - and I knew after that first session that it was going to be good. But I did ask my T all of those questions I posted earlier in our first session, and she answered them all, as I think any T should.

[googley]

Thanks guys.
I know that I will have to meet the possible T. I just hope to get some of the screening done over the phone before I leave because once I move I wont have much time before classes start. Once I got to the point I realized what would make a good T and what to expect I have had really good luck with finding Ts. I'm just worried about leaving my current one.

[ECHOES]

You may find that T's are not willing to do a screening on the phone and will require an appointment to meet and talk face to face, like therapy itself.

My primary concern when I was looking for a T was her orientation: what kind of therapy does she provide? I had done research and I knew what I wanted. My research lead me to the psychoanalytic institute in the closest large city and I contacted them for a reference to someone in my community. Institute candidates are screened before acceptance, are already therapists. She had been a T for 20 years when I met her. She has since earned her psychoanalysis certificate from the institute and continues to study there.

When we met, I asked about her education, what specifically her Master's was in, how long she had been a T. Asked her fee since I do not use insurance. I gave her an idea of where I was, and why, and asked if she thought she could help me.

I liked her right off. She has a policy of meeting with someone several times to see if she thinks she and the potential patient will work well together. So it turned out we were interviewing one another.

G-

i'm probably the worst one for helping but i'll tell you my biggest crieteria...they had to seem nice on the phone...and have a sense of humor.

didn't ask about education, qualitifactions, nada.

t was on my list from the insurance comapny so i knew she took that, my at the time pdoc said she was good (bust she was crummy so her recommendation meant oh so little to me) and i knew where he office was. and i liked her name. yep that about summed it up.

i kind of go on the seat of my pants and my ample gut on these things...i'm a firm believer on instinct...and in this case it worked really well.

she never treated anyone with my diagnosis before me and was open about that and some other things and has been willing to change her "rules" about her practice to meet my needs...and i have been willing to do the same. so its worked out.

i guess what i'm saying is don't be afraid to listen to your gut...be it ample or not.

[Lifsuks]

Hi googley,
My chiropractor referred me to my T. (chiro suspected I had D.) and he already knew my insurance so that helped. But, my chiro also had been to my T. for marriage counselling so he had personal experience with him. I guess that made me go to this T. at least to check him out. Initial contact was on the phone and that went okay except at one point I thought he was a little curt with me. However, after the first apptmt., I felt very comfortable with him. I guess meeting him in person and seeing his kind eyes were the selling point for me. To me, the eyes are the windows to the soul and his eyes told me a lot. I really like my T. and he is the only one I can really talk to and reveal all my horrible secrets to yet feel safe. The only thing I didn't like was that he was already semi-retired and only works 3 days a week. That worries me because I will have to face what you are going thro' now, in a year or so. Hopefully I will be just as comfortable with the new T. he will refer me to and that this person will be just as kind and good as he is. I think that is another thing you will have to consider--whether your T. is at retirement age, unless you don't mind finding a new one again so soon. Also, make sure he/she is a member of the professional association in your state to be sure he/she is licensed in his/her area of expertise. thanks. take care!