3 Questions to Ask a Therapist in Philadelphia

Questions to ask a therapist, psychologist, or counselor in Philadelphia.

When you live in Philadelphia, one of the most populated cities in America, it can be hard to narrow down the best therapist for you. In my last blog post here, I provided a few things to keep in mind when you’re trying to find a counselor in Philadelphia.

So now what?

You’ve done your “homework” and found several therapists in Philadelphia who may be able to help you. You’ve narrowed down your choices to a shortlist of options and they all mention providing a consultation. Now, you wonder, what to even ask or say? It all seems so overwhelming.

Questions to ask a Philadelphia Therapist. 

Here are three important questions you need to ask when looking for therapists in Philadelphia.

1.     Ask about their specialties.

Why is this important? As I wrote about in my previous blog post here, not all therapists or counselors are the same. It’s super important to find a therapist in Philadelphia who knows how to help you with what you’re going through.

Here’s an extra tip: take note of whether the counselor makes note that they specialize in a plethora of diagnoses or a few. This is important. Why? Well, because one person simply cannot specialize or be an expert in any and all psychiatric issues and problems. Again, it’s like a podiatrist went to medical school and yet you’d want an endocrinologist to help treat your diabetes, you know?

2.     Ask about their schedule.

Why is this important to ask? I’m a huge advocate of “less is more” when it comes to how many clients a therapist has on their caseload. When I work with my clients, we often talk about balance and maintaining boundaries- as in, knowing how to live a balanced life (like, purposely scheduling time for self-care, saying ‘no’ when appropriate, doing what works to live a life worth living, etc.). I find it super important to model this with the clients I work with. So, when you ask potential therapists about their schedules, this will clue you in to see how they manage their own time. In other words, do they have so many clients and session times that you wonder how they even have time to do it all?

3.     Ask about their own therapist.

Yes, this may sound strange. Yet, I can’t stress this enough. First, I truly believe that all therapists, counselors, psychologists, etc. should all have their own therapist. I just firmly believe that. It shows that the counselor knows how to care for him/her/themself.

The idea that someone needs to be severely mentally ill to be seeing a therapist or be in counseling, is false. It’s a myth. With that being said, I feel passionate about getting rid of the stigma associated with seeing a counselor, and what better way to help that happen, than by being open about that as a therapist myself.

Therapy & Counseling in Philadelphia

I hope this helps you find the right therapist in Philadelphia. If you’re still feeling confused or stuck, you can call me at 717-685-5074 or click here, for a free, virtual/online, or phone consultation. I’d be happy to hear about what’s happening with you and to help you find the right counselor for you.  

My private therapy practice is completely virtual. If you’re looking for help with managing intense emotions & relationships, overwhelming anxiety, and coping with past trauma, you can read more about how I help, here. My specialties include DBT for Borderline Personality Disorder, anxiety counseling, and trauma therapy.