How long should a therapist consultation call be?

Fifteen minutes is the common standard and it is usually sufficient for both people to assess fit.

The length matters less than how it is described. Prospective clients avoid booking consultation calls for two reasons: they do not know what happens on one, and they are afraid of being sold something.

Describing it plainly removes both:

• Say it is free and time-limited. Fifteen minutes is short enough to feel low-stakes.
• Say what it is for. So they can ask questions and you can both see whether you are a good fit for what they are dealing with.
• Say there is no obligation. Explicitly. This is the sentence that gets calls booked.
• Say what happens if it is not a fit. Offering to suggest alternatives makes the whole thing feel safe.

On the call itself, most clinicians spend the first few minutes letting the person describe what brought them, then explain briefly how they work and what a course of therapy typically looks like. Leaving time for questions matters more than covering everything.

Some practices charge for a longer initial consultation. Both models work, but a free short call converts more inquiries into first sessions, which is where the leak usually is.