Questions to ask a therapist before your first call.
You do not need a perfect question—or a long list. Choose what would make the conversation useful, keep the practical details together, and notice what remains unclear afterward. No score. No account. No need to tell your whole story.
Three questions are enough.
This is a conversation aid—not a clinical intake, diagnosis, or therapist rating.
First, ask what kind of meeting it is.
Practices use consultation, intake, and first session differently. A preliminary call may focus on fit and logistics; a first session may include consent, history, goals, or assessment. It may be free or have a fee.
Ask what is scheduled, how long it is, and what it costs before sharing details you were not expecting to discuss. The label matters less than a clear answer.
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What would make this call useful?
Choose up to four. You can also skip this step—the core questions still work.
Useful information can still feel uncertain.
A short call cannot predict an entire therapeutic relationship. It can show whether you had room to ask, whether the answers were understandable, and whether the practical arrangement might work.
You can schedule, think, ask one follow-up question, speak with someone else, or stop. “I am not sure yet” is a valid result—not a failed conversation.
Start with these common Minnesota boards.
This is not a complete list: different Minnesota health credentials are overseen by different boards. A board lookup is one verification step; it does not tell you whether a practitioner is the right fit or in network with your exact insurance plan.
Tell us what needs to fit.
A real person reads what matters to you and helps narrow the Minnesota options.
Read every worksheet question without using the tool
Before I book
- • Is this an informational consultation or a clinical appointment, and is there a fee?
- • Are you accepting new clients, and how soon is the first available appointment?
- • How often do you usually meet when beginning?
- • Do you offer in-person care, telehealth, or both?
- • What should I know about privacy, technology, and a backup plan for an online session?
- • What are the fees for the first and ongoing appointments?
- • Are you in network with my exact plan, and how should I verify that before booking?
- • What written cost estimate can you provide before I book, and are reduced-fee openings available?
- • What is the cancellation or missed-appointment policy?
- • What paperwork or practical information should I expect before the first session?
During the conversation
- • What might the first few sessions look like?
- • How do you invite feedback if something is not working for me?
- • What would the next step be if we both decide to continue?
- • How do you usually work with someone seeking support with something like this?
- • How do you and the person you are working with decide what to focus on?
- • What experience and training do you have with concerns like mine?
- • When would you recommend a different practitioner or kind of care?
- • How do you adapt care for a person’s identity, culture, communication, or accessibility needs?
- • What happens if I need to slow down, pause, or decline an exercise?
- • What do you mean by “somatic,” and what might that look like in a session?
- • Is touch ever part of your work, and how do you ask for and revisit consent?