One of the most commonly asked questions of people starting therapy for the first time is how the process works. I wanted to take the first blog post here to talk a little bit about how I approach it. You may have similar questions and if this blog post does not answer them, feel free to ask me.
Before I begin with a new client, I like to speak with them on the phone for 15-20 minutes. This gives me the chance to get to understand the concern that they want to do some work around. We use this time to discuss whether it sounds like we would be a good fit for the work that they want to accomplish. I ask them a few questions about insurance information that we use to initially determine their benefits and if working with me will be covered. Then we move on to planning an intake date.
For the intake they will have to fill out some paperwork that provides their personal information, details some office policies, and provides them with some notices that they need to know as a client. Versions of these forms are available under the “Forms” tab at the top of the page. If I can, I like to have an intake session last 90 minutes. This gives us time to go through the information they need to know and for me to ask all of the appropriate background questions. At the end of their intake we will discuss a probable diagnosis, discuss their goals for therapy, and schedule the next few appointments.
It may sound like all these things take up a lot of time, and they can! I try to make things as simple as possible during this initial session as I know sometimes it can be very intimidating just to make the appointment and walk into the office for the first time.