Starting therapy can be very intimidating. Most people come to therapy during times when their emotions are raw or they’re experiencing a personal crisis. Not knowing what to expect once you’re behind that closed door can compound all the stress, fear and anxiety that you’re already feeling.

For this reason, it is always my main goal to educate my clients about what to expect and guide them through the process of therapy. In my practice, I have identified 5 “phases,” if you will, of the therapy process.

One of the questions I always ask my clients,  in some variation or another, is, “What prompted you to seek help now?” Put another way, this question gets at another significant question, “What stopped you from seeking help before?” The Mental Health Commission of Canada has reported that greater than 60% of Canadians experiencing mental health concerns have not sought treatment. But, why?

From my clients’ responses, I have learned 5 common reasons why people don’t seek help sooner. Surprisingly, the cost isn’t one of them.

As I have shared before, the #1 factor that determines whether therapy will be successful is the relationship between the client and their therapist. Now that’s easy enough to say, but how do you really know whether you will have a good relationship with your therapist without spending time (and dollars) getting to know them?

While more experienced clients tend to have a better understanding of what to expect, what works and what doesn’t work for them, and what they are looking for, if you’re new to therapy, you may not even know what questions to ask. 

Yes, it does take time to build a relationship, even with your therapist; however, knowing the right questions to ask in an initial consultation can save you some time, money, and, more importantly, help you get connected to the right person to help you through your journey.