Choose a Counsellor or Psychotherapist

When seeking the professional support of a counsellor or psychotherapist, it is worth taking time to consider the various options and types of therapeutic support available to ensure that suitable help can be provided.

You may be feeling anxious about meeting a counsellor or psychotherapist for the first time. It can be helpful, therefore, to have some idea about what to expect.

The first meeting with your counsellor may be referred to as an ‘initial assessment’. You may be asked questions during this time to gain an understanding of the reasons why you are seeking support and what you hope to gain through the counselling.

The following are some of the questions you might be asked:

• What caused you to seek counselling?
• Have you had counselling before? What are your expectations?
• What is the problem or issues that you would like to explore?
• What are the symptoms and/or history of the problem or issues you want to discuss?
• What do you hope to gain from counselling?
• Do you have any questions for your counsellor?

It is helpful to remember that this is also your opportunity to assess whether you have chosen the right person to meet your needs so be prepared to be able to ask questions to ensure you are confident of a good match.

Here are some useful questions to ask your counsellor or psychotherapist.