Why I Don't Offer Free Consultation Calls: A Psychologist's Perspective
(Spoiler: It's Not About the Money)
Kelly Anderson, PhD
Most therapists offer free 15-minute consultation calls. It's practically an industry standard at this point. The idea makes sense; it gives potential clients a low-risk way to get a feel for you, ask their questions, and decide if they want to book. And still, I don’t offer them as a standard practice - and no, it's not about the money. It’s about these brief calls being relatively unhelpful when it comes to getting the information you need to make an informed decision. I feel that they can create a false sense of connection (or disconnection) based on incomplete, unrepresentative data, and here’s why.
1. They're Almost Always Phone Calls
Consultation calls happen over the phone because setting up a video call for a quick 15-minute consult is time-consuming. But you lose a lot on a phone call, everything visual, such as facial expressions, body language, and the warmth (or lack of it) in their eyes. Just as importantly, the therapist can’t see you either and is making assumptions about fit based on incomplete data.
2. Everyone's Performing
The therapist is often selling themselves and trying to do so in a very small time window. They're highlighting their credentials, explaining their approach, and working to say the "right" things that will make you want to book. All while thinking about their schedule, their caseload, and whether you're a good fit and are watching the clock (because 15 minutes goes fast). And you're performing too. You're trying to sound like a good client while rapidly explaining your situation thoroughly enough to make sure the therapist gets it, but without diving into the most important topics in a nuanced way because there just isn’t enough time to do so.
3. Consultation Calls Are Not Representative of How Therapy Actually Works
Therapy is not a Q&A session. Therapy is slow, relational, and often uncomfortable. It's about sitting with hard feelings, working through resistance, and building trust over time. It involves long pauses, vulnerable moments, and the therapist's ability to hold space for whatever comes up. A consultation call feels transactional. You ask questions, the therapist answers, and you both evaluate whether to move forward.
4. The Time Constraint Creates Pressure
Fifteen minutes is not enough time to have a real conversation. Both people are watching the clock. The therapist is trying to cover logistics, answer questions, and assess whether this person is a fit, all while keeping an eye on the time because they likely have a session right after. By minute 12, you're both just trying to wrap up, not connect. Important topics get glossed over, and nuance gets lost. The therapist can't ask meaningful follow-up questions because there's no time. The client can't share the full story because they're summarizing. Both therapist and client walk away with a surface-level impression that may or may not reflect reality.
What Works Better: The Full Initial Session
So if consultation calls don't work, what does? A full, 50-minute initial session. In person or on video (not the phone). Where both people show up as themselves, not as performances. Here's why that's worth the investment.
1. You Get Real Data About Fit Because You’re Both Showing Up Authentically
In a full first session, you experience what therapy with this person would actually be like. You see how the therapist operates a session, including their pacing, their style, and their presence. The therapist gets better data, too. They can notice your affect, your body language, and your patterns of speech. A first session isn't a sales call, and that shift in framing changes things. You're not trying to sound like a "good client" or minimize your struggles, and the therapist isn’t trying to sell themselves or say the right thing to get you to book.
2. You Learn Things a Phone Call Can't Tell You
How it feels to sit in the room together
Whether the therapist's office (or virtual presence) feels comfortable and safe
How the therapist responds when you share something hard (do they rush to fix it, or sit with you in it?)
Whether there are natural pauses or if everything feels rushed
3. It's An Investment (And That Matters)
When you invest time and money in something, you take it seriously. A full first session signals that you're not just "shopping around." You're showing up ready to engage, ready to be honest, ready to see if this can work. When someone books a full session, the therapist shows up differently. They're not in "consultation mode." They're fully present, fully engaged, and fully themselves.
4. You Can Make an Informed Decision
After a full session, you actually know whether you want to come back. You're not guessing based on a friendly phone voice or a polished introduction. You've experienced what therapy with this person is actually like. If it's a fit, you know that, and that clarity is valuable, even if the answer is no. A full first appointment may save you time (and money) in the end.
How to Make the Most of Your First Session
If you're going to invest in a full first session, here's how to get the most out of it:
Come ready to be honest, not perform
Notice how you feel in the room, not just what the therapist says
Ask yourself: Do I feel like this could work?
Remember: You're interviewing them as much as they're assessing fit with you.
Why I Do It This Way
I don't (typically) offer free consultations becuase I want both of us to show up authentically, and I want you to experience what therapy with me is actually like, not what I sound like on a rushed phone call. Therapy is a relationship, and relationships take time. I'd rather you invest one session and know for sure than guess based on fifteen minutes of small talk.
Ready to see if we're a good fit? Book a full first session. Let's find out together.