US & CA may have different standards.
In the states:
- Interview appointments -either in person or over the phone- are generally 15-30 minutes & free of charge or at a reduced rate. Not all therapists do these, but most in my experience, do. These are 90% about the therapist. Them laying out their qualifications, education, general preferences, sample treatment options, etc. Generally you're the one asking them questions, feeling them out, & seeing if they're someone you want to work with.
- intake appointments, on the other hand, are usually double the normal length of time, sometimes more if there's testing involved, and are 90% about you.
Most new clients, especially first time clients, don't know to ask/schedule either. They just schedule a regular appointment or an introductory session. Introductory sessions are a mixed bag. They talk a bit about themselves & you talk a bit about yourself, forms and such are gone over... It's a very bland sort of crossing-fingers that this $175 isn't a complete waste.
Of the ones who don't do interview appointments (and that number is rising as people rely more on the Internet, where most of that info is on their website... But a working relationship is only partly skills, training, education, experience, beliefs, & practice... The rest is a heavy blend of personality, manner, rapport, & je ne sais quoi. Which can only be experienced first hand, not off a written document)... It USUALLY means their practice is fairly full / they're not hungry. Now, whether that's because they're amazing and have a devoted clientele, or just starting out and have taken anyone & everyone who walks through the door until they're booked six ways from Sunday? Or any of a half dozen other options? No real way to know without meeting them. Even if it's the first one, though, it doesn't matter how amazing their client base thinks they are, if you two just don't click.
Therapy in the US is generally between $100 & $400 an hour, so it makes a whole lot of sense for providers to have an option that helps people therapist shop to find the right fit. In countries where healthcare is a human right? It *tends* to be more how we view private education, ie, people court private schools rather that private schools actively seeking students. Might seem backwards, but the trend just generally holds. So, again, what's normal for the US where nearly all healthcare is private, vs Canada which has public & private options? Likely to be VERY different.
