Top 5 Consultation Call Questions to Ask a Trauma Therapist or a Counselor in San Francisco, California

The San Francisco Bay Area is full of a diverse population from Downtown San Francisco, Daly City, Burlingame, Redwood City, San Mateo, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Sunnyvale, and around the Silicon Valley.

In these big cities, finding a therapist is not easy. Even on Psychology Today, many of them are not accepting new clients or are already full and have a waitlist. They may have changed which insurance they take.

WALTZ Trauma Care and Therapy is accepting new clients. We have wonderful trauma therapists who can help you no longer be stuck in your trauma.

After all of that journey, you found a few therapists in San Francisco that seemed nice enough. You’re wondering what to do next. What should you ask? What should you say? What is appropriate?

5 Questions to ask a Therapist in San Francisco During a consultation Call

Take a moment to brainstorm about what qualities you are looking for in a THERAPIST.

This is because maybe you have already looked up a specific treatment approach like EMDR therapy, or you do not have a preference and want regular talk therapy. You have already filtered your search. Many of the general questions are already answered the in FAQs section! So, now it is time to get to know the therapist if you are not yet ready to book an initial appointment.

Question #1: Do you have experience working with the issues I am looking for help with?

Although you may have found these potential therapists after looking at their website or directory profile, it is a great place to confirm with the therapist on a consultation call about the treatment areas. You do not have to share the details or go in depth, but briefly mention what’s bringing you to therapy at this time and the areas you need help with, such as childhood trauma, sexual trauma, recent accident/incident, recent surgery or a medical issue that caused resurfacing old trauma, social anxiety, or phobia.

For example, WALTZ Trauma Care and Therapy focuses on treating Trauma and PTSD for adults. Many individuals decide to work with Ashley Lee, LCSW to address family-based trauma, involving their parents and/or siblings, and intergenerational differences in cultures due to immigration. She also works with people who have experienced sexual trauma.

Question #2: What can I Expect from counseling sessions with you?

You’d be curious how you’re going to feel after each session, what you’re getting yourself into, and whether or not you’ll like how therapy plays out. This will always be an open discussion even after you start therapy.

For example, therapy sessions with Ashley Lee, LCSW are once per week for 50 minutes. Each session is reflective and trauma-focused. She encourages you to pay attention to the emotions and sensations in your body that are connected to the bothersome experiences so that you can finally process what happened and move forward with new insight. After a deeply emotional session, where you take care of your younger self, you will find yourself feeling lighter and less stressed. Therapy with Ashley can be flexible. There will be times that you focus on a topic that recently bothered you that you need help process with, like what happened with your coworker, manager, friend, or intimate partner. Other times, you might be ready to revisit a past memory that needs further processing. Either way, you will be working through the pain and find relief.

Question #3: Do you take my insurance? Or, What is the Private Pay rate? Are you open to single case assignments?

Sometimes, the directory or the website does not list all the insurance a therapist takes. It is a good idea to confirm with the therapist you are interested in. In any case, if your sessions are not covered, you want to be aware of the standard fee that you may owe.

Even if this therapist is considered an out-of-network provider, there is an option called a single case assignment. This is to have a separate contract between the insurance company and a therapist to offer you in-network benefits. This will be assessed on a case-by-case and may take extra time. If this therapist offers a specialized treatment approach that you need to treat your symptoms, it does not hurt to ask. Your insurance company needs to make sure that you can use your in network benefits for necessary services. If they cannot find the right one in network, they will make sure you can still meet your needs with an out-of-network provider and will cover for services.

We accept insurance! In network with Aetna, Cigna, Oscar, and Optum/United Healthcare/United Behavioral Health/UMR. You can also use Out-of-Network plans. Please check out the FAQs section to learn more.

Question #4: Do you have availability to start a therapy session?

If you are ready to book an appointment, let’s see if your therapist’s availability meets yours.

Question #5: Do you have anything else I need to know, like a cancellation policy or what to expect for the first therapy appointment?

For example, WALTZ Trauma Care and Therapy has a 48-hour cancellation policy. This means a person needs to inform their therapist, by sending an email, leaving a text message, or voicemail at least 48 hours before the scheduled appointment to avoid a charge that is not covered by the insurance. This cancellation request will be honored with a time stamp.

I hope this helps you find the right therapist in San Francisco, CA.

By the end of this blog, you may already feel ready to book an initial 50 minute appointment.

If you want to further explore your options, check out WALTZ Trauma Care and Therapy. We would be happy to support you!

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