"Discovering Your Match: Your Guide to the 15-Minute Consultation, Part 2"

This article offers a series of questions that you could ask a therapist during your initial 15 minute consultation. Please keep in mind that you won't have time to ask all the questions from here. As well, some of the answers may already be included on the therapist's or organization's website. I encourage to take a look at this compiled list and think about which questions seem important for you to further explore with the therapist. Good luck!

General Questions

1. How long have you been practicing?

2. What licenses and certifications do you have and which professional organizations do you belong to?

3. How much do you charge? What are you sliding-scale options?

4. How many clients have you had with similar circumstances to my own? 5. When was the last time you worked with someone similar to me?

Questions to gauge personality and style

1. What are your strengths and limitations as a therapist?

2. What is your general philosophy and approach to the therapeutic work?

3. Are you more directive or more guiding?

4. How would you describe your communication style?

5. What do you do for self and/or community care?

6. What inspired you to become a therapist?

Questions to understand therapeutic process and structure

1. How often would you anticipate seeing me? For how long?

2. How do you set up counseling goals? What are they like? What is success for you?

3. What is a typical session like? How long are the sessions?

4. Do you give “homework?” What kind of homework do you give?

5. How do I prepare for my first session?

6. Do you have a cancellation policy? What if I am sick?

Are there questions that I've missed? Let me know in the comment section. In the meantime, scroll down for more!

While searching for a therapist, shared identity is often a priority for those who are Racialized and coming from intersecting identities based on culture, ethnicity, religion, gender and sexual orientation. However, finding a therapist whose lived experience and background feels like a good fit is not always easy. You will want to ask as many questions as possible to understand whether the therapist adheres to Anti-Oppressive and Anti-Racist Values in their clinical practice.

We all deserve to be in compassionate therapeutic spaces that understand, accept and reflect the intersections of our identities and facilitate healing

Questions to assess for Inclusive, Anti-Racist and Anti-Oppressive values

1. Would you feel comfortable with me discussing the oppressions and discrimination I have experienced by those who you may identify or associate with?

2. How do you work with clients with different social locations than your own?

3. How do you practice anti-oppression and anti-racism in your sessions?

4. Have you supported people with complex, intergenerational and/or racial trauma? How do you go about this?

5. What are your thoughts and policies on policing and child protective services? In which situations would you contact them? What would that look like?

6. What does intersectionality mean to you and how do you incorporate it into your practice?

7. How do you incorporate trauma-informed methods into your work?

8. Do you receive consultation with supervisors or other therapists who identify similarly to myself or share my lived experiences?

9. What is the most recent book or resource that you listened to/read related to Anti-Oppressive, Anti-Racism and/or Decolonization?

I hope you found this article helpful!

If you haven't yet, make sure to check out Part 1 of this article and get more information on the structure of consultations including how to determine "good fit" with a potential therapist.