What Happens on a Free Phone Consultation for Couples Therapy
A free phone consultation is a short call, about 15 minutes at spiral2grow, where you describe what is happening in your relationship, ask about the therapist’s approach, fees and scheduling, and decide whether to book a first session. It is not a therapy session and there is no obligation to continue.
What is a free phone consultation for couples therapy?
It is a short, no-cost call with the therapist before you book anything. You say what is going on, the therapist explains how they work, and both sides get a first sense of whether this is a sensible match. Nothing is decided for you and you are not committing to sessions by calling.
It helps to be clear about what the call is not. It is not a therapy session, it is not an assessment of your relationship, and fifteen minutes is not enough time for advice on what to do about your marriage. Think of it as a practical conversation that helps you decide on a first appointment.
How does the consultation work at spiral2grow?
These details come from the practice’s own pages.
- Length and cost. The consultation is a phone call of about 15 minutes with Moshe Ratson, LMFT, and it is free. It is offered to every new inquiry.
- How to ask for one. Call (917) 692-3867 or send a request through the contact page. The request form asks whether you are inquiring as a couple or an individual, whether you would like to meet in person or Online by Video, what you are interested in, how you prefer to be contacted, and which days and times suit you for sessions.
- What the call is for. According to the practice’s FAQ, it is a chance to describe what you want to work on, see whether you feel comfortable with Moshe, and hear how his approach could help.
- Fees. The current fee is discussed on the call, before you book a first session. A sliding scale is available, so raise it on the call if cost is a concern.
- If it is not a fit. The FAQ states that if the practice is not right for what you need, you will be referred to someone else.
- What happens next. If you decide to go ahead, the first session is scheduled by phone.
The first session itself is not free. It is a full working session and is charged like any other. Sessions are 45 minutes, usually weekly, and are held in the office at 260 Madison Ave #8023, near Grand Central Station, or Online by Video.
What gets asked on the call?
What the therapist will probably ask you
Therapists differ, but an introductory call for couples work usually covers a few basics. Expect something like:
- What is prompting you to look for help now?
- How long has this been going on, and has anything changed recently?
- Are you both interested in coming, or is one of you more hesitant?
- Have you tried counseling before, together or separately?
- Do you want to meet in person or by video, and what does your schedule allow?
You do not need polished answers. Two or three plain sentences are enough: “We keep having the same fight about money and it is getting meaner,” or “I found out about an affair last month and we do not know what to do.” Details can wait for a session.
What you should ask the therapist
You are also interviewing the therapist. A short list keeps you from hanging up and remembering the thing you meant to ask.
- How much of your work is with couples, and with problems like ours?
- How do you usually work with a couple, and what happens in the first few sessions?
- Do you ever meet with partners separately, and how do you handle something one partner tells you in private?
- What is the fee, and is there a sliding scale?
- How does insurance work here?
- What is your cancellation policy?
- When could we start?
For a longer list with the reasoning behind each question, see questions to ask a couples therapist before you book.
On insurance, it helps to know the basics before you call. spiral2grow is a self-pay practice that does not bill insurance directly. It works as an out-of-network provider and gives you a receipt you can submit to your plan yourself. The fees and insurance page lists what to ask your insurer.
Two general consumer points are worth knowing with any therapist. You can confirm a license yourself: New York’s Office of the Professions lets the public verify a marriage and family therapist’s license and registration. And under federal rules, people who are not using insurance to pay for care can request a written good faith estimate of expected charges from a health care provider.
Should both partners be on the call?
It helps if you both can, but it is not required, and many first calls are made by one person. If only one of you calls, try to describe the situation the way you think your partner would also recognize it. A therapist who hears a one-sided account still has to earn the trust of the person who was not on the line.
That matters more than it may seem. A meta-analysis of 48 studies of couple and family therapy found that a stronger working relationship with the therapist was associated with better outcomes, and that “split” alliances, where one person feels much more connected to the therapist than the other, were associated with poorer outcomes. These are correlations, so they do not prove that the alliance causes the result, but they are a good reason for each partner to form their own impression.
If your partner was not on the call, share what you learned and let them call with their own questions if they want to.
How can you get the most out of 15 minutes?
- Write down your one-sentence reason. What would you want to be different three months from now?
- Agree on the basics with your partner first, if you can: in person or video, which days are possible, what you can afford.
- Call from a private place. You will speak more freely.
- Put the practical questions first. Fee, schedule and format can rule a therapist in or out quickly.
- Notice how the conversation feels. Did you feel listened to? Were your questions answered directly? Did you understand how the work would go?
- Take notes. If you are speaking with more than one therapist, the calls blur together.
It is fine to say you are talking with a few therapists and need a day to decide. A consultation is free so that you can choose carefully.
What happens after the call?
If you decide to book, you set a time for a first session. At spiral2grow, clients are asked to arrive 10 minutes early for a first office visit to complete the standard intake forms. The guide article on what to expect in your first couples therapy session picks up from there.
If you decide not to book, that is a normal outcome too. You will know more about what you are looking for, and you can ask for names of other therapists.
Is this the step you need right now?
If the two of you have been going back and forth about getting help, a consultation is the smallest real step available. It costs nothing, takes a quarter of an hour, and replaces guessing with information. Couples often put this off until things are worse, and the call is designed to make starting easier. Reading about couples counseling at spiral2grow beforehand will give you better questions.
A consultation is not the right channel in an emergency, and the practice is not an emergency service. If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988 or call 911. If you are afraid of your partner, joint therapy is not the right first step, and you can reach the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233. The article on when couples therapy is not recommended explains why.
Request your consultation
To set up a free phone consultation with Moshe Ratson, LMFT, send a request through the spiral2grow contact page or call the practice. Sessions are held in Midtown Manhattan and Online by Video, and you can ask about either on the call.
Common questions
No. A consultation is a brief introductory call to see whether the therapist and the service fit what you need. A first session is a full working appointment. At spiral2grow the phone consultation is free, and the first session is charged like any regular session, with the fee discussed on the call beforehand.
Yes. Many first calls are made by one partner, and you do not need your partner’s agreement to ask questions. It helps to describe the situation fairly and to share what you learned afterward, because couples therapy tends to go better when both partners feel comfortable with the therapist, not only the one who called.
Not in any detailed way. Fifteen minutes is enough to understand the outline of your situation and explain how therapy would work, but not enough to assess a relationship responsibly. Expect the therapist to listen, ask a few questions, describe their approach, and tell you honestly whether they think they can help.
That depends on the therapist’s openings and your schedule. Ask on the call when the first appointment could be, and say which days and times work for both of you. At spiral2grow the first session is scheduled by phone once you decide to go ahead, and sessions are usually weekly after that.
Sources
- Meta-analysis of the alliance-outcome relation in couple and family therapy (Friedlander et al., Psychotherapy, 2018), PubMed, National Library of Medicine
- Good faith estimate, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
- Marriage and Family Therapists: Consumer Information, New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions
This article is part of the Couples Counseling Guide. It is general information, not a substitute for care from a licensed professional who knows your situation.
This article is for general education. It is not a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis or treatment.
