Quick Summary: I will list some very common question that I have received
from clients concerning my psychotherapy practice… therapists should be able to answer these questions succinctly, authentically, intelligently, and with professionalism… your response should get the listener interested and wanting to ask a follow up question. Many people suggest that you have around 3 – 5 seconds of undivided attention to answer questions concerning your business. Practice your answers to the below questions so as to prepare yourself to best market your practice. Remember, anyone that you meet could be a potential referral source… your ability to answer these questions well in all settings will greatly impact your business.
In order to run a successful psychotherapy practice you must be able to attract and keep clients.
One technique that clients use to pick a therapist is to ask questions or to interview the therapist.
Often times the interviews are very informal as the client is simply trying to get a feel for who you are to see whether his or her intuition believes that you can be helpful.
Other times (especially with more left brain thinkers – logical, linear, structured minds) a person is looking for you to display credibility and professionalism in your answer to very specific questions.
30 Common questions that you may receive concerning your psychotherapy practice
You are looking to be:
- Succinct
- Engaging
- Professional
- Credible
- Intelligent
- Inviting
- Authentic
- Personable
- While embodying the attributes of a good therapist (warm, kind, compassionate etc)
Remember to shoot for 3 -5 seconds… then have a more involved answer prepared if your listener asks follow up questions.
Questions –
- What do you do?
- How does psychotherapy work generally speaking?
- What is your specialty?
- What ages do you have experience with?
- Are you going to be asking questions about my relationship with my mom? Why do therapist ask questions about my family?
- Have you had success with this issue (PTSP, ADHD, infidelity, cutting, eating disorders, panic attacks etc) before?
- Do you work with couples/families/groups/individuals?
- What type of therapist are you? what are your credentials and what do they mean?
- Why do therapists ask about feelings and emotions?
- What causes people to change?
- Is there any hope for my relationship? We hardly even talk anymore.
- My husband is not emotional at all… can you help him to become emotionally available?
- How do you help people recover from an affair or a breach of trust?
- I have anxiety problems what can you do to help me?
- Do you offer anger management? How can you help me with my anger?
- What is the difference between a family therapist and an individual therapist?
- Do you prescribe meds? What is the difference between a psychologist, a psychiatrist, a social worker and a psychotherapist?
- My wife/husband/kid is crazy can you fix her/him?
- My partner and I haven’t had sex in years can you help us?
- Do you see children? What is an appropriate age for a child to see a therapist?
- Can you help me lose weight or to become motivated?
- What is premarital counseling and do you offer it?
- How can you help me to solve my problem if you have never been through what I’ve been through?
- People say that I need help with my drinking but I don’t want to stop altogether, I just want to slow down… can you help with that?
- What are your payment options?
- How is talking with my teenager in an accepting way going to get him to stop smoking pot/misbehaving/being disrespectful?
- What is your theory about this whole addiction thing?
- I had a really hard childhood… will I ever feel normal?
- Are you going to be giving me advice about how to fix my problems?
- My husband has anger issues would you recommend couples counseling or should we come in individually?
There are million of other questions that you could receive, but if you can get a grasp on these you should be pretty well prepared for most questions.
Can you think of any other questions that feel equally as important?