| Home Biography Books Book Chapters Articles Coping Skills Therapeutic Skills Presentations Poems Seeking Help Contact Good Faith Estimates |
SEEKING HELP - THE INITIAL INTERVIEW
After you have narrowed your list down to a final two or three
therapists or programs, go to visit them. Some therapists give an
initial consultation free of charge or at a reduced rate. But most
therapists charge the full fee for their time at the initial
consultation.
Despite the cost, it’s
essential that you meet with the therapist face to face, or at least
have a substantial phone conversation with them, before making your
selection. (Programs should have a provision for a similar type of
interview.)
Electronic communications will not suffice.
After the initial interview, think about these questions: Did the
therapist or counselor seem warm and supportive? Were they respectful
towards you? Do you feel that, at some point, you might be able to talk
to this person about your inner feelings?
Most importantly, what is your gut feeling about the therapist?
Qualifications are important—and you should only be considering
qualified therapists at this point—but the final decision may be a
matter of finding the best emotional match for you.
Pay attention to your feelings. If you have strong negative feelings
toward a particular therapist after the first interview, it probably
isn’t a good match. If you are ambivalent, you might consider meeting
with the therapist an additional time before making your decision.
Note for minorities.
Many therapists—both men and women—call themselves “feminist” or
“nonsexist”—but you need to decide for yourself if they actually are.
Keep in mind that just
because a therapist is a woman does not automatically make her a
nonsexist therapist.
Similarly, just because a therapist is a member of a certain ethnic,
gender, racial, or religious group doesn’t automatically mean that the
therapist is free of all societal biases towards that group.
Some groups have provided their own mental health resources, for example: a website listing resources
for African-Americans is
https://henry-health.com/ (go to "Get Help").
Copyright (c) 2018 Aphrodite Matsakis. All Rights Reserved No part of this web site may be reproduced, stored or transited in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, microfilming, recording or otherwise, or by any information storage and retrieval, without written permission from the author (or publisher) except for brief quotations for review purposes. |