Many clients begin their search on google. They may explore social media and think about whether or not they’re ready to start therapy. They may hesitate to reach out and then when they’re feeling down or overwhelmed, begin the search again. We, at The Couch, track our referral sources through our software system and most of our clients find us through word-of-mouth referrals. Meaning our current or past clients recommend us to their family, friends, neighbors, etc. or other providers we partner with recommend us to their clients/patients. We want to walk you through what happens once you make the decision that you’re ready to start the therapy process.
Step 1- Most clients will look through our website https://www.thecouchtherapy.org and read what we’re all about. Hopefully they see the message that we’re accepting of all people and offer a safe space, while also portraying we’re down-to-earth therapists who value relationship above all else. On our website, we created a quiz to help match prospective clients with a therapist based on their specific needs/wants. Hoping to do virtual therapy? Your results will show those therapists offering that service. Want a therapist that specializes in eating disorders, you’ll be given the best options for that. You can also skip the quiz and look at our team page and filter through categories that you desire. Again, you will be presented with the therapists that match your specific criteria.
Step 2- This one might be scary but we promise, we’re not scary at all!! Once you find a therapist that you seem interested in, you can either email our office or you can book a free 15 minute consultation directly online. We use a software system that our various “schedule a consult” or “book now” buttons on our website will direct you to https://thecouchtherapy.clientsecure.me. It’s called Simple Practice. Once on that page, you will be able to see the availability of each of our therapists. Click on “I’m a New Client” and then the name of the therapist you’d like to meet with and choose a time that works best for you. Don’t see a time that works? Email our office and our care coordinator (my mom, Janine) will work with you to find a time that works best. She will email our therapists directly to see if there’s any wiggle room in their schedule to get you in. She’s a retired teacher and loves to help people!
*One caveat, none of us work weekends. Emily and I decided a long time ago after being burnt out from previous jobs that we wanted us and our staff to prioritize work-life balance. With weekends off, we’re able to take care of ourselves and recharge to be ready for the week ahead. We do offer evening appointments but we recognize some people need weekend appointments and we have other wonderful practices we can refer you to. Just reach out!
Step 3- Once you schedule a consultation, you’ll receive a secure link from Simple Practice and all you have to do is log on through your computer, tablet, or phone at the time of your appointment and your therapist will meet you on the other side of the screen. If something stood out to you about our profile, we’re honored and excited to meet with you! It’s like being picked in gym class and we’re ready to show you what we’ve got! We’ll introduce ourselves and ask you what you’re looking for in a therapist and what you’re hoping to work on. We’ll be transparent with you about our style of therapy, our schedule, our fee, etc. If we’re not the best fit, we have someone else in mind for you and we’ll help bridge that transition. We work as a team and our main goal is to get clients paired with the best fit. We know each other well from our weekly all staff meetings and our various fun outings throughout the year, so we’re pretty good at playing matchmaker! *This appointment is not a sales pitch consultation, it’s about helping you find the results you need whether or not it’s with us.
Step 4- Ideally, it’s a match! We will offer you available times to schedule an intake session with us. If it’s not the perfect match, again, we’ll get you to the right person. Once you’re scheduled for an intake, we send you a reminder for your upcoming appointment and we electronically send you all of our intake paperwork. This includes our policies, emergency protocols, consents, fee agreements, and a quick page to fill out telling us about yourself (if you’ve had a consultation with us, we don’t need you to be very detailed on this form). If you’re working with another provider you’d like us to collaborate with, we’ll send you a release of information. You get to sign off on what you do and do not want shared between the two places.
Step 5- After receiving a reminder for your appointment 24 hours ahead of time, all you have to do is show up to the intake. There’s another blog post on what an intake therapy session is (view here) but in general, our intake sessions are 75 minutes long. We come with a list of questions and topics to talk about, so if you’re not sure what to say, we’ve got you covered. You are in charge of how much or how little you’d like to share at that first session. We’re focused on finding out about you and what you want from your therapist and your sessions. We will ask you about any symptoms you’re experiencing, and we may ask questions about your history and childhood. This gives us a starting point and an idea of what relationships are like for you (aka we start to figure out your attachment style). If there’s a specific event or struggle you’d like to talk about, we will always prioritize that. The intake session is client led but if you’re not sure where to go, we’ll take the reins. If you’re in our office, we’ll offer you snacks, water, coffee/tea, fidgets, a blanket; whatever you need to feel comfortable. If you’re virtual, you can meet wherever you’re comfortable and wear whatever you’re most comfortable wearing. Pjs and slippers? We’re all for it! Just make sure it’s a private space and you’re not driving.
Step 6- We’ll schedule you for regular sessions at whatever frequency you would like. Not sure? We’ll offer recommendations. It’s that easy! We continue working together until you feel like your goals are met. We model healthy relationships and we’ll be the champion in your corner through and through. We have clients for a few months and we have clients who stay with us for a few years. Some clients leave and then come back for a “tune up” or if something else comes up in their life they need to process. We’ve celebrated weddings and births, and we’ve grieved losses and hardships together. We watch our clients’ kids grow up and their families evolve/change. We divide and conquer when multiple people in a family or friend group want to do therapy. We’re invested in your lives and the people around you. We show up as humans and our only ask is that you do to.
We’d be honored to join you on the mental health journey to becoming a better you. Please reach out if you have any questions at all.
All our best,
Monique Lee LCSW-S, Co-Owner of The Couch
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