Quick Overview: Yes. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) states that a person may identify one or more possible therapists. After identifying possible therapists, a preliminary conversation can help a person understand how treatment may proceed and consider their comfort with the therapist. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) also says people can look for health care professionals, programs, or support groups they want to reach out to while considering practical factors and qualities that matter to them. Contacting more than one option can be a way to gather information about those topics.
Looking for support may involve recommendations, online searches, and direct outreach to possible therapy options. NIMH and SAMHSA describe several topics that can guide this process, including treatment approach, comfort, cost, insurance, scheduling, and qualities that matter to the person seeking support.
What National Guidance Says About Contacting Therapy Options
NIMH explains that, after identifying one or more possible therapists, a preliminary conversation can help a person understand how treatment may proceed and consider their comfort with the therapist. NIMH states that these conversations may happen in person, by phone, or virtually.
SAMHSA says people can look for health care professionals, programs, or support groups they want to reach out to. During a search, SAMHSA recommends considering whether an option accepts insurance or offers free or low-cost services, is taking new patients, has open appointments or meetings that fit a person’s schedule, and includes qualities that are important to that person.
SAMHSA also says it can be helpful to speak with more than one trusted person for recommendations because many types of support are available. A recommendation may be one place to begin a search. You might ask a trusted person which professional, program, or support group they are recommending and then decide whether you want to contact that option.
Topics a Preliminary Conversation Can Help You Explore
According to NIMH, a preliminary conversation can help a person understand how treatment will proceed and consider comfort with the therapist. NIMH identifies rapport and trust as essential and notes that therapy discussions are deeply personal.
NIMH suggests asking prospective therapists about their specialty, approach, type of therapy, the rationale and evidence base for the therapy, goals of therapy, a recommended time frame or number of sessions, and how progress may be assessed. These are examples of topics NIMH identifies for a preliminary conversation.
NIMH describes psychotherapy, also called talk therapy, as a variety of treatments that aim to help a person identify and change troubling emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. It notes that therapists can have different professional backgrounds and specialties. The approach a therapist uses can depend on training and experience and on the condition being treated.
A direct question can keep the conversation focused on information you want to understand. For example: What approach do you use? What is the rationale and evidence base for that approach? How do you discuss goals and assess progress?
Practical Search Questions Named by SAMHSA and NIMH
SAMHSA specifically names insurance, free or low-cost services, new-patient status, open appointments or meetings, schedule fit, and qualities important to the person searching. NIMH also suggests asking about treatment fees, whether a therapist accepts insurance, and whether a sliding scale for fees according to income is available.
These topics can help organize outreach to more than one option. Questions might include whether an option is taking new patients, whether appointments or meetings fit your schedule, and whether information about fees or insurance is available.
SAMHSA notes that a person might not find a perfect match right away and advises looking for a professional or program they could open up to as they work together. It also notes that any relationship takes time to build.
Reflection Questions for Comparing Therapy Options
The table below offers questions drawn from NIMH’s discussion of preliminary conversations and SAMHSA’s practical search considerations. It is a reflection tool, not a scoring system.
| Area to consider | Questions for reflection |
|---|---|
| How treatment may proceed | What did I learn about how treatment may proceed? What would I still like explained? |
| Approach and evidence | What approach was described? What questions do I have about its rationale or evidence base? |
| Comfort | What do I notice about my comfort with the therapist after the conversation? |
| Goals and progress | What was shared about goals of therapy and how progress may be assessed? |
| Practical factors | What information did I receive about fees, insurance, appointment timing, or free or low-cost services? |
| Personal priorities | Which qualities matter to me when looking for a professional, program, or support group? |
Questions to Bring to a Consultation
NIMH describes a preliminary conversation as a way to understand how treatment may proceed and consider comfort with a therapist. You may choose questions such as:
- What approach do you use, and what is the rationale or evidence base for it?
- What goals of therapy might be discussed?
- How might progress be assessed?
- What are your fees, and do you accept insurance or offer a sliding scale according to income?
- Are you taking new patients, and do you have appointments that fit my schedule?
SAMHSA’s guidance supports considering practical factors and qualities that matter to you during a search.
Practice Note: Rooted Integrative Therapy lists individual therapy, couples therapy, group therapy, and therapy intensives. Alina Hovsoyan is listed as the therapist. Rooted Integrative Therapy offers in-person therapy near Orem and Provo, with virtual therapy across Utah.
You may use a general inquiry to ask about the information that matters in your search, such as services, fees, insurance, or appointment options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does national guidance mention identifying more than one therapist?
Yes. NIMH states that a person may identify one or more possible therapists. It says a preliminary conversation can help a person understand how treatment may proceed and consider comfort with the therapist.
Can I ask about cost and scheduling?
Yes. NIMH suggests asking about treatment fees, insurance acceptance, and a sliding scale according to income. SAMHSA advises considering insurance, free or low-cost services, and appointments or meetings that fit a person’s schedule.
Can recommendations be part of a therapy search?
SAMHSA says speaking with more than one trusted person for recommendations may be helpful because many types of support are available. SAMHSA also suggests asking trusted people, such as a doctor, social worker, loved one, or friend, if they know health care professionals or programs.
What can I ask about a therapy approach?
NIMH suggests asking what approach the therapist uses, whether they practice a particular type of therapy, and what the rationale and evidence base are for that therapy. NIMH also suggests asking about goals of therapy and how progress may be assessed.
Sources and Further Reading
These authoritative resources provide general background for this article:
- National Institute of Mental Health: Psychotherapies
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: Health Care Or Support
A Grounded Next Step
If you want to contact Rooted Integrative Therapy, you can use the practice’s general inquiry form. Consider bringing the questions that matter most to your search.
Please do not include urgent or highly sensitive clinical information in a general inquiry.
This article is for general education only. It is not a diagnosis, treatment plan, or substitute for individualized mental-health care. A qualified mental-health professional can help you consider what fits your circumstances.