Not sure where to start with therapy?
Not knowing where to start is one of the most common reasons people delay reaching out about therapy. You may not know what kind of therapy fits, whether your reason is serious enough, who should attend, or whether therapy is the right direction at all.
If this is a crisis: This page is for people who are uncertain how to begin therapy, not for immediate danger or crisis. If you or someone else may be in immediate danger, call 911 or call or text 988. See our crisis resources. A therapy inquiry is not the right starting point for immediate danger.
We offer a free initial consultation in Johnson City, TN for people who aren't sure where to begin. The consultation is a short first conversation to understand what's bringing you in and whether this practice may be an appropriate place to start. We serve adults, teens, couples, and families from across the Tri-Cities, including Kingsport, Bristol, Jonesborough, and surrounding communities.
You don't have to know which service fits before reaching out
Some people reach out knowing they want therapy but not knowing which kind. Individual therapy, couples therapy, family therapy, child and teen therapy: these can all overlap, and the right starting point isn't always obvious from the outside.
Some people are uncertain whether their reason is serious enough. They may be functioning well enough on the outside but carrying something that has become harder to manage. They may wonder whether therapy is for people with bigger problems, or whether what they're carrying qualifies.
Some people are reaching out for someone else. A parent trying to understand whether their child needs therapy. A partner who thinks couples therapy may make sense but doesn't know how to start. A family member watching someone struggle and not knowing what kind of support might fit.
Some people have been in therapy before and aren't sure whether to return, or which kind of therapy makes sense for where they are now. Some are entirely new to it and not sure what to expect.
Any of these can be appropriate reasons to ask whether we may fit.
How the consultation helps sort out the starting point
Our consultation is a short first conversation: typically 15 minutes, at no charge. It isn't a full intake or the beginning of ongoing therapy. It's a chance to understand what's bringing you in and whether this practice may be an appropriate fit.
The consultation can help clarify whether individual therapy, couples therapy, family therapy, or child and teen therapy may be the more appropriate starting point. It can help identify whether we're the right practice for what you're describing, or whether another direction may make more sense. It can also help clarify whether what you're describing fits the kind of support we provide or whether a different level of support may be more appropriate.
You don't have to arrive with a prepared explanation. You can describe what's been happening as clearly or as generally as you're able, and the consultation builds from there.
Who should come, and who doesn't have to
One of the most common uncertainties is who needs to be part of the first conversation. The answer depends on what kind of support may fit.
For individual therapy concerns, one person reaching out is enough. You don't need anyone else to agree to therapy or know you're considering it before contacting the practice.
For couples therapy, one partner can reach out. Both don't have to be ready or in agreement before the first inquiry.
For child and teen therapy, a parent or caregiver typically reaches out first. The child or teen doesn't have to initiate the conversation or know in advance that contact is being made.
For family therapy, one person from the family can reach out. Who attends sessions and in what combination is something the consultation can help sort out.
Our therapists are associate-licensed and work under the supervision of Dr. Katherine Barteck. The consultation can also clarify what that supervision structure means for the care you'd be receiving.
One person is enough: you can reach out on your own, on behalf of someone else, or on behalf of a family. Everyone involved doesn't have to be ready before you contact the practice.
No prepared explanation required: you don't have to know exactly what to say. The consultation starts from wherever you are.
Non-fit is a legitimate outcome: if we aren't an appropriate fit after the consultation, that's a useful outcome. The consultation can help clarify that and, when possible, identify a more appropriate direction.
What if this isn't the right place to begin?
We aren't the right fit for every concern or every person. We provide therapy through a standard appointment structure for a range of concerns. There are situations where a higher level of care is more appropriate, where a different kind of specialist would be a better fit, or where the concern is better addressed through medical, legal, or other community resources.
The consultation is designed to be honest about fit. An appropriate inquiry is more useful than a mismatched one, and we'd rather help you find the right starting point than begin therapy that isn't well-suited to what you're carrying.
If we aren't the right fit, the consultation can help clarify that and, when possible, identify a more appropriate direction.
The consultation
The initial consultation is free and typically 15 minutes. It can happen by phone or other appropriate format. It's not a commitment to ongoing therapy.
How it worksFees and location
If therapy continues after the consultation, session fees vary by therapist and type of appointment. In-person sessions are available in Johnson City, TN. Telehealth may be available across Tennessee when appropriate.
View feesThis page is provided for educational purposes only. The information here is not clinical advice about your particular situation, and reading it does not establish a therapeutic relationship with any Willow & Arbor therapist. Guidance that applies to your specific circumstances can only come from a direct professional relationship with a qualified provider.
Still working through the practical questions?
If you're not sure how therapy works, what it costs, what the first session looks like, how confidential it is, or whether you're ready, we have a full section of guides built around exactly those questions. They're written from the perspective of our practice and cover everything from finding a therapist in the Tri-Cities to what happens if the fit isn't right.
If something specific is bringing you here
If a specific concern is clearer than the starting point, these pages may be a more direct entry point.
Willow & Arbor provides individual therapy, couples therapy, family therapy, and child and teen therapy. Telehealth may be available across Tennessee when clinically appropriate. See the full therapy-by-concern list, all services, or browse guides for starting therapy if you still have practical questions about how it works, what it costs, or what to expect.
The first question can be whether this is the right place to start
The consultation is a short first conversation to help clarify fit.
If you're in crisis or immediate danger, call 911 or call or text 988. See our crisis resources.