Marriage Counseling Raleigh NC: What to Expect During Your First Consultation Call with a Therapist

Most of us believe that we do better when we know what's around the corner. For most people who seek marriage counseling Raleigh NC, reaching out to a new therapist is an anxiety-provoking and nerve-wracking experience.

It is normal and understandable to feel this way because therapy tends to be a pretty intimate experience. You are reaching out to a professional for mental health support, which means you are expected to go very deep pretty fast, talking about the most intimate details about yourself and your life.

It is natural to feel nervous while talking to a new therapist you don't know or aren't sure you can trust, especially if you haven't been in therapy. In addition, you may feel anxious about not knowing their style or even what questions they will ask you during your first consultation call.

So, to help you make a more confident judgment about whether you need a specific form of treatment, what to say, or how to prepare emotionally, let's shine some light and knowledge on what happens during that initial phone call with a marriage counselor.

Marriage Counseling Raleigh NC Basics:

How Long Is a Consultation Call?

The initial phone contact with your potential therapist, also known as a consultation call, generally lasts 15 to 30 minutes and is usually free. This initial brief conversation with a therapist is an excellent opportunity to ask any questions you might have for the therapist, get to know each other, and determine whether there is a good fit between you. It is also an excellent opportunity for the therapist to learn about you and why you seek individual counseling or marriage counseling.

For example, suppose I have a client call who needs help with a substance abuse problem. In that case, I will probably not be the first-choice therapist for this client because substance abuse is not my specialty.

However, if you contact me and tell me that you are having difficulties in your relationship, that you are lonely and disconnected, and that you would like to restore and feel more connected to your spouse, I will be thrilled since that is what I am trained for and passionate about.

In this case, we can discuss the logistics and decide if we are a good fit or not.

Marriage Counseling Raleigh NC Basics:

Initial Call

If you are looking for marriage counseling Raleigh NC, I advise that both partners be on the call when they first reach out to a therapist because things need to be discussed together. So, suppose the other partner is not present during the initial call. In that case, they will have to call me afterward to make sure we touch base before the therapy session.

Marriage Counseling Raleigh NC Basics:

Online Scheduled Phone Calls

We would meet at the agreed-upon time if you arranged your call online. So I'll call you, and we'll go from there.

Some clients just go ahead and call without first arranging the call on my website, and I encourage you to do the same if it feels more comfortable for you. Calls received during my sessions or after hours are usually returned within 24 hours.

What Questions Should You Expect During the First Call for Your Marriage Counseling Raleigh NC?

The first questions I ask my clients in marriage counseling Raleigh NC are what prompted them to seek help and what they hope to achieve with couples therapy. My questions are also related to the goals my clients have for treatment. Finally, I will ask you to visualize your life when these goals are accomplished.

So, we will be diving right into making it very concrete and specific. This is important so that both sides understand the problem and have a clear picture of your goals and how we will get there during our marriage counseling sessions.

I usually offer some information about myself, my policies, and some procedures during the consultation call. My goal is to be as open as possible, so this logistics issue also needs to be discussed.

What Happens after your Marriage Counseling Call?

If we agree that we are a good fit, I will enter your phone number, name, address, and email address into my system. You will also be asked to complete electronic papers before our first session. So, there is no need for you to text or print documents, sign them, and return them because everything is done electronically.

You will also have access to my client portal, where you can schedule or reschedule your appointments, use secure messaging to discuss some clinical issues, and so on.

If we are having a virtual session, which is what most of my customers have been doing since the Covid epidemic, you will be given a link to download my program. I'm using Simple Practice, a HIPAA-compliant program that's both secure and easy to use. After downloading it, you'll be up and running in two or three minutes.

At the end of the session, I typically ask my clients if they have any more questions, comments, or concerns just to make sure we know what we are going for so that they feel comfortable and confident.

Summary

At the end of the call, my clients and I usually feel pretty confident and comfortable with each other, so this initial call is a very important aspect of marriage counseling Raleigh NC.

Sometimes, my clients ask me for a solution to their problem during this first call. Unfortunately, this is not possible because it takes a comprehensive assessment for a therapist to understand where his clients are coming from. In addition, it takes time for me to learn about your history, coping skills, problems, and things like that so that we can create an individualized treatment plan based on your goals.

With that in mind, I hope you better understand what to expect during your initial call with a therapist.

I hope this was helpful. If you have any questions or would like to schedule your free 15 min phone consultation with me, click here