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The Flow of Therapy Step by Step the Easy Way

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What Should I Expect When I Come To Therapy?

Many people are hesitant to make that first dreaded appointment to attend therapy. That's completely understandable, especially with all of the Hollywood drama depicting therapists as strange people with stranger ideas. With education about what therapy is, it has become popular these days with everyone from Oprah to Prince Harry attending therapy. Modern psychotherapy has little resemblance to either psychotherapy from 20 years ago or the Hollywood version of therapy. So what does happen in therapy and what are the steps?

Decide on the Therapist You Think You Might Like to Work With

Deciding which therapist you might like to work with can be confusing and frustrating. Most referral sources won't give you a commercial for a particular therapist anymore than referrals will give a commercial for a doctor. This is really a personal choice. Here are a few tips that might help you find it easier. 

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  1. Word of Mouth. With the taboo of therapy mostly diminished these days, you might be surprised how many of your friends and family have at least considered therapy. The very best way to find a good therapist is to find someone you trust that has seen a therapist professionally and has good things to say. A trusted friend or family member knows you and will be a good source for a good referral to a therapist or a trauma specialist. 

  2. Your Specific Situation and Goals. Most therapists specialize in specific areas. Some, like Hope Renewed, specialize in trauma and chronic pain management. Others specialize in eating disorders, or even personality disorders. Your specific situation will likely determine how you search for a therapist. 

  3. Health Insurance. If you will be using your health insurance to help defray the cost of therapy, your insurance company will have a list of therapists that could potentially meet your needs. While this may not be a final screen, it will give you some ideas. 

  4. Web Search Engines. Again, this is not the very best way to find the right therapist, but it is a good beginning. Most reputable therapists will have a website and will offer paperless intakes and various billing options. 

  5. Local Colleges with Counseling Programs. You can try calling the counseling department of your local college. They may have a list of referrals. Some professors may also have their own private practices, with their teaching job being a part-time occupation. 

  6. The Better Business Bureau. If a therapist has unresolved BBB complaints, this is a red flag and should be considered. 

  7. Free 15 Minute Consult. Many therapists, especially trauma specialists will be happy to provide a FREE 15 minute phone consult. This is one of the best screening tools you have. This 15 minute phone call gives you the opportunity to screen the therapists to determine if you can have confidence they are the right choice for you. It also gives the therapist the opportunity to find out if THEY believe they can help you or if it might be better to refer you to a therapist they believe might be a better fit. I've occasionally consulted with a prospective client and have been convinced that I might not be the best fit for them. In these cases I have been happy to refer them to a therapist that better fits their personal needs. This is a win-win for everyone. By the way, it is illegal for a therapist to pay for a referral or to accept payment for referring a client to them. During this call, you should ask about therapy approaches and methods, fees, and payment options. This is the perfect time to get all of your questions answered. By the way - if you are struggling with chronic pain, this call may be especially important, as this is an emerging field and few psychotherapists are adequately trained to help. 

When the Decision Has Been Made

Once you have completed the FREE 15 minute consultation with a therapist and have made a decision to enter therapy, your therapist will ask you to complete some intake documents, much like the documents you fill out at a medical office. Among the documents, you will likely find the therapist's privacy policy statement, HIPAA compliance documents, an intake assessment that will ask some questions about your history, a statement about the particular clinic's policies, an informed consent for treatment document, and a "good faith estimate" as part of the new "No Surprises Act. This particular document  provides you with an estimated time frame for your treatment and an estimated cost, and protects your rights. There may also be a document asking for your approval for electronic communications, including phone, text, and teletherapy. This list seems overwhelming but shouldn't take anymore than 30 minutes to complete. Almost all of these are required by law and are in place to protect your rights as a consumer. Most therapists today have the means to access these documents online via a patient portal and sign and submit them easily. If you decide to work with Hope Renewed Counseling and EMDR, you will be given secure access to a HIPAA compliant patient portal where you will have access to all of your documents, billing, assessments, and other important information that will help you manage your treatment, making it much easier and hassle free. You will also have access to pay your bill online via a secure connection, making this an easy and stress free process. 

Make Your First Appointment

With the Pandemic, the failing economy, and other worldwide problems, most therapists are busy and will have to work to get you in quickly. Most therapists, like other medical professionals, triage based on urgency. A trauma client may be seen sooner than someone dealing with an unruly teen. Any crisis will likely receive priority, but your therapist will work to see you as soon as possible, usually within 2 weeks if at all possible. I am a Tennessee trauma therapist and am still working via HIPAA compliant teletherapy. This has been beneficial to all. Neither myself or my clients are exposed to illness, I am able to see clients much sooner, and the client saves travel time, expense, and the discomfort of sitting in a therapist's office. 

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In light of the fact that many, if not most therapists are now practicing via teletherapy, I will describe the process. When you set your first appointment, your therapist will send you a link to a HIPAA compliant web conferencing platform. Please insure that the conferencing is HIPAA compliant, as this is a secure platform and designed to protect your private information. On the day and time of your first appointment, you should be able to simply open the email and click on the appropriate link to enter your therapist's virtual waiting room. This makes teletherapy convenient and easy. It also saves your valuable time waiting in a therapist's waiting room. As long as you log in at the time of your appointment you are in. A word of caution - Please try to log in about 10 minutes early. This will insure you are able to smoothly enter and will give you a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the system. THAT'S IT! THAT'S ALL THERE IS! YOUR FIRST SESSION HAS BEGUN AND YOU ARE WELL ON YOUR WAY TO HEALING AND A BETTER LIFE! 

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While I have tried to make this description fairly detailed, there may be some things I neglected to include. If you have any questions PLEASE feel free to use the contact button below. I will be happy to answer any questions and make this process as easy and painless as possible. 

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