Questions to Ask Your Prospective Counselor
When you contact a local professional, remember that you are the consumer. If you ask specific questions you can determine if there is a match rather than waste time and money.
The following questions are helpful to determine if there is a match for you when contacting a mental health professional.
Furthermore, the process of asking these questions affords you the opportunity to become familiar with the counselor's approach and whether you are comfortable with him or her.
- What can I expect to happen during the course of counseling with you?
- Do you include spouse or family members during the counseling sessions?
- How long will the counseling take to deal with my issues?
- Are you licensed and how long you have been in practice?
- What are your areas of specialty?
- Do you have experience dealing with issues like mine?
- What happens if there is a need for medication?
- Do you accept insurance? If not, do you have a sliding scale fee?
- What is your policy on cancellations, when they are out of town, and when there is an emergency?