How Can I Find The Right Pro For Me?
This is an excellent question, and if you spend a few minutes thinking about it before you pick up the phone, do an internet search or even ask a friend for a recommendation, you will save money and effort in the long run.
There are a few common variables that are important to consider when looking for a pro. Things like location, schedule, fees/insurance and type of pro are certainly important. It's also good to consider what your desired outcome is: do you simply want to feel better, or are you looking for a more measurable goal like getting into a healthy relationship? If money is a concern, you may want to consider alternate treatment options like talking with your pro over the phone instead of in an office. Often pros can offer discounted rates if they work with you remotely because they don't have to pay for office expenses. They save on overhead, and you save on your hourly rate.
There are many different kinds of pros, and everyone who is a member of ProConnect is trained to help you in some way. Some pros are traditional and follow a formal business model, while others are progressive and offer creative alternatives to support healing and growth. Which is the best fit for you? It's a truly a personal choice; our hope is that the guide below can steer you in the right direction so you can find the very best fit for you.
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Variables to consider when searching for a Pro:
Location
As they say in real estate, everything comes down to location, location, location. The good news is that in today's virtual world you are no longer bound by the traditional model of going to someone's office. Many pros now offer their services remotely; the most common methods are the telephone, Skype and meeting in public locations like Starbucks.
Remote sessions work just as they would if you were meeting face-to-face: you have a set appointment time, a set fee and a set length of time to meet. Compensation is expected at the end of the session and payment can be made by check or via the web. Each pro is different in this regard, so you'll want to ask how your pro accepts compensation.
The most impressive benefit of remote services for you as a client is that you may choose a pro who genuinely meets your budget, desired skill set and fits your personality, regardless of where that person is located in the US.
Schedule
Most Pros will want to meet with you on a scheduled basis. Some will use a more structured approach with treatment plans, goal sheets and timelines. Others will be comfortable with an open-ended plan that allows you to see them as long as you like. Typically, if you're looking for a measurable result from your sessions (i.e. you want to lose 20 pounds or you want to start dating within three months) you will want to talk with your pro about how frequently he/she will want to meet so you can realistically accomplish your goal.
Traditional sessions are 50 minutes in length with the session starting on the hour and ending 10 minutes before the hour is up. Some pros have strict boundaries about their time, and they will hold you to the 50-minute meeting quite firmly, while others are more flexible and will see you for 50 - 60 minutes. You'll also want to ask your pro about the appointment cancellation policy. Some pros will charge you for the missed time and some will not; most request 24 hours notice for a cancellation.
When you first meet your pro, make sure to determine if your expectations can realistically be met. Not all goals can be accomplished in five or even 10 sessions. To give you both the opportunity to create a positive client/pro relationship you'll want to think about your desired outcome and look specifically at how long you'll see each other, how often you'll see each other and what you can do outside of the sessions to increase your healing/growth.
Fees/Insurance
Think about what you can realistically afford. When you contact a pro ask him/her what the hourly or session rate is. Then consider how often you think you want to see a pro and what you can afford weekly and monthly. Often the answer will determine how frequently you can see a pro and the kind of pro you can afford.
Traditionally, the more qualified, educated and credentialed a pro is, the higher the costs. Some highly qualified pros will discount their services based on the client's legitimate need. If you're looking for discounted alternatives here are a few things to consider:
Insurance: If you have medical insurance and there is a mental health option available to you, always ask your pro if s/he accepts insurance. Not all pros do, and the pro doesn’t always determine if she/he accepts insurance; by law, some pros are not allowed to accept insurance. If you find that the only way you can afford a pro is with help from your insurance, we suggest that you contact your insurance provider and ask for a list of providers that accept your medical plan. You can also search within our pro database and select pros that "accept insurance" to give you our list.
Sliding Fee Scale: Some Pros have a sliding fee scale, and those that do are often willing to adjust and lower their rates according to your income/need. You can search within our ProConnect database to find pros that offer a sliding fee scale; simply select the advanced option for "sliding fee scale" and this will give you our list. If you're unsure if a person offers discounts, it's always wise to ask during your first contact with the pro to see what rate adjustments are available.
Questions, Boundaries & Personal Details
As a client, you can ask your pro any and all, questions you have related to fees, credentials, experience, sessions, etc. It's important that you feel totally comfortable with your pro so you can honestly work on the issue(s) that brought you to the sessions.
Please know that each pro will have a different boundary regarding the amount of details about themselves they are comfortable sharing. It is not uncommon for many pros to keep the focus off of themselves because attention to their lives may cloud the purpose of your meetings. Pros know that you are paying for the service, and they want to help you as concretely and purposefully as they can. As such, you will be the focus of the sessions, and not the pro.
Types of Pros
There are several types of pros and each one has a unique skill set to help clients work on relationship and other life issues. To help simplify our search process we have asked pros to categorize themselves. You can learn more about each type of pro by clicking here.
Specialization
Truly not all pros are created equal. In fact, many Pros work hard to separate themselves from the masses by acquiring additional skills, training and expertise in dedicated areas. Consider things like marriage/couples support, drug/alcohol abuse, gay/lesbian/identity issues etc. Additionally, there are pros who specialize in specific schools of thought such as psychoanalysis, Gestalt therapy, life coaching etc. If you have a desire to see a pro with one of these additional levels of expertise, simply use advanced search and select the specialization options you want from the dropdown menus.
Contacting Your Pro
After you've found pros through search or through browsing on the site, be sure to take a few minutes to learn more about them on their web pages. Each pro has a web page that includes a personal bio and lots of details about services offered. You can contact a pro directly by email or telephone, or by requesting a free consultation if the pro offers that service.