What to Ask Your New Therapist

What to Ask Your New Therapist: Essential Questions for a Strong Therapeutic Start

We all have different tastes, preferences, and needs. Not every therapist should be your therapist. You should generally feel free to ask your therapist the following questions.

1. What Are Your Qualifications?

Any therapist should be licensed and insured in the country you live in. Licensing means they have completed the required clinical hours and met the minimum standards for practice, so they have the basics.

2. What Is Your Approach to Therapy?

Every therapist will have their own flair. Some might base their insights on attachment theory (like us) and others on object-relations theory (less like us). Now, you don't need to know all the ins and outs of their theoretical approach, but you do want to know if their "style" fits your "style." To find this out you might want to ask:

• What therapeutic models do you use?

  Does your therapist follow a strict protocol, use several methods to approach each client differently, or are they spontaneous and associative?

• What do you expect from yourself and your clients?

  Some therapists may expect you to cancel an appointment two days in advance and others only hours ahead of time. This can extend to other expectations, such as how often your therapist expects to talk to you throughout the week outside of work hours.

• How open will you be about my diagnosis?

  Does your therapist speak openly about your diagnosis or do they prefer not to label the reasons behind why you came to therapy?

It is so important not fear these questions. You have every right to check if your therapist is the best fit for your needs, personal preferences, and "style."

3. Have You Ever Worked With Clients Who Share An Aspect Of My Identity?

A therapist’s experience with clients similar to you—ethnicity, gender, nationality, or sexual orientation—can be incredibly valuable information. Either option might suit you. Perhaps you don't want them to know much about your identity group. Most likely because you enjoy describing your own personal experience from your perspective, without the therapist's assumptions or preconceived views disturbing their understanding of you. Conversely, you may not want to explain niche/insider cultural norms to your therapist — it simply feels like too much work.

4. Do You Receive Supervision?

Supervision is a critical part of any clinician’s ongoing professional development. If they do receive supervision, this signals ethical practices. It means your therapist regularly consults with a more experienced professional to review their work, ensuring ethical practices, and high-quality care. No matter how experienced a therapist, every client brings new and challenging elements to the table that taken-for-granted--knowledge doesn't always serve.

5. If I Ever Leave Treatment, Can I Return?

This question helps you understand whether the therapist sees therapy as an ongoing supportive relationship or prefers to maintain strict boundaries with definitive endings. If you have difficulty trusting others or building relationships, you may want a therapist who will consider taking you on as a client even after you leave therapy.

Final Thoughts

Good luck in your search for the right therapist and I hope this helped.