What do you love or hate about your therapist’s office?

[gummybear]

Love:
Very quiet
Very simplistically decorated. Nothing to distract me.
Small and intimate

Not love:
I wish my seat was more comfortable
I would like a soothing scent - it didn’t smell bad but it didn’t smell good. Maybe a light lavender. (I realize this is highly personal).

[af1212]

Jul 1, 2021 19:07:21 GMT -5 spearmintleaf said:

I’m designing my office from scratch. Tell me what you like or don’t like about your therapist’s office!

This is probably not helpful but I hate that my kid’s therapist office is hard to get to and there is no parking. I have to add on an extra half hour to be sure I find a parking place.

Once my kid went to a therapist that had a bulletin board with articles copied and pinned on for you to take. That was nice.

Good comfy couch/chair in the waiting room is good if there are parents who may wait for the kids.

Good clean bathroom is important too.

[ohgillian]

Love: no photos on display; clock where I can see it; two seating choices for me. I know this may be silly, but my old T had a fake tree and she told me she'd never get a live plant for her office b/c if it died she'd have to get rid of it and she didn't want patients to think she'd throw them away if they weren't doing well. Ha.

A different office that I hated had annoying weird blinking fluorescent lights.

[af1212]

Thought of two more - I want a good clock that I can see, and I hate extraneous noise - fan clanking, something ticking/dripping/etc.

[FastHands]

Jul 1, 2021 19:25:47 GMT -5 ohgillian said:

Love: no photos on display; clock where I can see it; two seating choices for me. I know this may be silly, but my old T had a fake tree and she told me she'd never get a live plant for her office b/c if it died she'd have to get rid of it and she didn't want patients to think she'd throw them away if they weren't doing well. Ha.

A different office that I hated had annoying weird blinking fluorescent lights.

The plant thing is cracking me up. I get the idea but I'm imagining the next sentence of "as such, we will continue our sessions even if you should unexpectedly perish."

[ProfessorArtNerd]

I love a comfy chair, someplace to put my drink (with coaster, I feel bad leaving rings!) a visible clock. Natural light or low lights. Nice light scent, warm but not too warm. Obvs I like art on the walls.

[namasteak]

Something I haven’t seen mentioned already is that she has a lap sized weighted blanket that is nice on my lap or shoulders.

I wouldn’t do any fragrance - too many people have reactions to them.

[meowmaps]

My last therapist (she was wonderful) had a white noise machine right outside the door and I really liked that because it muted any outside noise and also made me feel like we had an extra layer of privacy so no one outside could hear us.

[lilypad1126]

I’ve been to 2 therapists and both of them had these weird, super low couches. I admit, I’m taller than most women, but these couches felt like I was sitting on the floor. And since I was going right after work, it was so uncomfortable to sit on it a skirt.

One of them didn’t have any hard surface to write on. Which, ok, except she wanted me to write things down once and handed me a sheet of printer paper. But no clipboard or coffee table or anything to actually write on. Which also made paying with a credit card hard when she then brought me a paper receipt to sign.

I did like the quiet, soothing music in the waiting room.

[af1212]

Jul 1, 2021 20:09:26 GMT -5 meowmaps said:

My last therapist (she was wonderful) had a white noise machine right outside the door and I really liked that because it muted any outside noise and also made me feel like we had an extra layer of privacy so no one outside could hear us.

I have never been to a therapists office (and I have been to quite a few with my kid) that did not have this. I had no idea it was not standard!

[gummybear]

Jul 1, 2021 20:14:18 GMT -5 af1212 said:

Jul 1, 2021 20:09:26 GMT -5 meowmaps said:

My last therapist (she was wonderful) had a white noise machine right outside the door and I really liked that because it muted any outside noise and also made me feel like we had an extra layer of privacy so no one outside could hear us.

I have never been to a therapists office (and I have been to quite a few with my kid) that did not have this. I had no idea it was not standard!

Same! Me and my kid. And I love it.

[meowmaps]

Jul 1, 2021 20:18:08 GMT -5 gummybear said:

Jul 1, 2021 20:14:18 GMT -5 af1212 said:

I have never been to a therapists office (and I have been to quite a few with my kid) that did not have this. I had no idea it was not standard!

Same! Me and my kid. And I love it.

I've seen therapists over the years but prior to my recent experience I hadn't seen a therapist in a good decade so if white noise machines were used before, I didn't notice.  That said, I agree it should be standard.  

[Monica Geller]

Love:
-White noise machine outside the door
-Fireplace- it can have heat or not. I like that sometimes she has it on in the warm weather without the heat. Sometimes staring at the flames is soothing.
-Variety of lighting

Don’t love:
-Couch is kinda deep and I have to fuss with the pillows to get comfortable
-Her office faces a busy street. The blinds and curtains are nice, but sometimes it’s noisier than I’d like. Maybe she needs another white noise machine or a water feature or something in the office.
-The clock is in an awkward location and I feel guilty looking at it. I wish it either was in my line of sight or nonexistent.

[sent]

Does my psychiatrist's office count?

Her office is in this cool restored old building. I think it was a church and now it's all different offices. I like walking through it and admiring the architecture to get to her office. Her office is dimly lit compared to the waiting room and I like that.

[gummybear]

Jul 1, 2021 21:38:00 GMT -5 spearmintleaf said:

My friend suggested a candy bowl. Yay or nay? Individually wrapped. LifeSavers or something.

I was also thinking of how some people like fidgets.

Yes and yes! I forgot about the hard candy. And small water bottles. Sometimes my mouth gets dry from talking, esp if I’m nervous. I am also a fidgeter/picker soma fidget toy or squishy would be nice.

[katfco]

I was going to suggest fidgets also. My therapist doesn't have any, but I think they'd be a great idea. You can get a variety of them on Amazon. That's what I do for my class.

For my therapist's office:
Love: the waiting room has affirming posters, but not so many you're overwhelmed.
When we talk, her chair and the couch are spaced so it's like a conversation, not a huge distance. But there's a coffee table in between, so it doesn't feel too intimate (does that make sense?)
Her window faces traffic and the parking lot, so she has it covered with an opaque film. It allows light in, but there's privacy.
The waiting room had a candy bowl before COVID


Dislike: I wish I could see the clock
There's stuff on the walls to look at, but again, not overwhelming. I hate the idea of just staring at the person you're talking to.
The couch is way too cushy. There should be some firmness to it.

[CurlyQ284]

My therapists office had a therapy dog, I never had a visit with her but I thought that would be great for kids.

There are coloring sheets in the lobby with a big selection of colored pencils. That might be nice to have in the room for people who may do better opening up while not looking at the therapist (like how you're supposed to do big convos with teens in the car).

Don't love the candles. I normally love candles but in an open house, not a small office, it is so overwhelming. ETA, should have read first! I see that won't be an issue

[pumpkin]

Jul 1, 2021 21:41:45 GMT -5 gummybear said:

Jul 1, 2021 21:38:00 GMT -5 spearmintleaf said:

My friend suggested a candy bowl. Yay or nay? Individually wrapped. LifeSavers or something.

I was also thinking of how some people like fidgets.

Yes and yes! I forgot about the hard candy. And small water bottles. Sometimes my mouth gets dry from talking, esp if I’m nervous. I am also a fidgeter/picker soma fidget toy or squishy would be nice.

My therapist had a hot pot and a variety of teas and always offered me a cup of tea which gave me something to hold onto during my sessions.

[jlt19]

Guessing what I love most is that I'm at home in MO and she's in Texas isn't what you're looking for

BUT, I've been to a handful of actual therapists so thinking about those:
1. My daughter LOVED that there were butterscotch candies in the waiting room. She's apparently 85.
2. YES to the fidgets. My kids are obsessed right now and I played with one during an interview yesterday and it was SO helpful.
3. Lighting. They all have been so dark. I get you don't want natural light so people can see in, and I get you don't want flood lights to make it seem stark, but I hate the soft yellow lights (that could be personal though b/c I got rid of them in my house as well).
4. Paint color, while neutrals are better than bright, bold colors, pick a soothing neutral. Browns and greys are so depressing, IMO. Maybe a mint green or baby blue type color. So, still relaxing, but not sullen, ESPECIALLY in winter time when people get SAD.
5. Firm, but comfortable couch. And a chair option, but again, firm yet comfortable. I guess in time they all sink, but I hate struggling to get up.
6. Have you read "Maybe you should talk to someone"? I remember her talking about her office and her therapist's set ups and how it made her feel. Either way, it's a great book, so you should read it anyway

[af1212]

The fidgets and lap blanket and all of that stuff personally grosses me out because I feel like it’s germy for so many people to be sharing. So I wouod. It like those. I also prefer a non-fabric couch (like leather or pleather or the like) again for germiness.

But that’s just me.

[joy]

Honestly? I love hours that work for full time working people. I see my therapist on Saturdays at 12pm. I’d also love evening hours. And the option for in person.

After that? I’m just grateful to talk. My therapist rents his space so it isn’t personalized at all.

I saw a therpaist as a child and his office was full to the brim with stuff. Weird stuff. It was actually awesome for a kid because we talked a lot of about his things/where they came from. It would get me chatting and allow him to eventually bring the conversation back around to why I was there.

[picaflora]

I agree with hard candies and somewhere to put a drink/water bottle. I usually brought my own water, but there wasn't a good place to put it near the couch. I would definitely get dry when talking for so long - and if I get a bit nervous I'm more likely to choke on my own spit. The first time I was there she offered tea - but it didn't happen again. We started meeting in Jan and it was cold! A warm drink each time would have been nice (she didn't always have her tea stuff with her). You could even do something like a keurig to dispense hot water so that it's more self-serve.

Couches are SO hard to get right for ppl... I'd almost ditch the couch and opt for a couple different styles of chairs. The therapist I went to had a large (and not all that comfy) couch that was a pain to get on and off of. And a gazillion pillows that weren't squishy and felt like they kind of pushed me off. I wasn't comfortable for sure, and that affected things. I honestly did better once we had to move to teletherapy due to Covid. I love chairs that rock/swivel, but I'm a fidgeter.

I think fidgets would be a great addition!

The therapist I went to had crappy fluorescent lighting. She took out most/all of the bulbs, and used floor and table lamps for lighting. They weren't all dim, which I also appreciated (they may have been adjustable). It felt more like home lighting instead of an office building.

[litskispeciality]

Haven't been in person in a few years but,

Love(d)
Quite, rather private space to wait. I couldn't hear anything (as I shouldn't) other than the radio
One office had a nice couch with blankets and a strong heater. Felt cozy
Saturday or week night apts. (I can't stress this enough)
Tissues within reach, and "please cry, no judgement"
A big room so we had space away from each other
Yes to fidgets and yes to individually wrapped candy

Didn't like:
No receptionist (I get it, but it felt like do you know I'm here?)
Probably specific to the counselor - but a clock behind me. I could see them watching the clock waiting for time to end.

Again more to the therapist, but those who don't even pretend to take notes don't make me feel valued. We'd go back to stuff that was covered, and important to the new item, that I assume would be addressed in notes. For you a fancy notebook would make me smile in a silly way.

[followyourarrow]

Likes: Leather couch, place to put my drink. Comfortable amount of space between us, but not too much. Plenty of white space, with a little bit of art.

Dislikes: Feeling too close, physically, to the therapist. So much stuff in her office that it was overwhelming and claustrophobic for me.

[ProfessorArtNerd]

Jul 2, 2021 8:40:30 GMT -5 af1212 said:

The fidgets and lap blanket and all of that stuff personally grosses me out because I feel like it’s germy for so many people to be sharing. So I wouod. It like those. I also prefer a non-fabric couch (like leather or pleather or the like) again for germiness.

But that’s just me.

Yeah, I have OCD. I’d probably skip those, too

[raleighnc]

This is probably a super old system, but when my daughter had in person therapy, there was a panel with a button for each provider that you pushed and it stayed lit until they turned it off. They either didn't have a receptionist or she was part time, and it kept the waiting room really quiet.

The therapist often recommends certain books or resources, and I wish she would either have a list she could print out or would write out the info ahead of time. It's hard to be digging in my purse for a pen and paper while trying to talk.

[af1212]

I forgot that one place my kid went had a dorm fridge with a bunch of drinks in it, and on top a keurig with a variety of pods.

That was really great and I liked that it was in the waiting room so I could make it myself without anyone watching me.

[af1212]

Jul 2, 2021 8:54:51 GMT -5 litskispeciality said:

Haven't been in person in a few years but,

Love(d)
Quite, rather private space to wait. I couldn't hear anything (as I shouldn't) other than the radio
One office had a nice couch with blankets and a strong heater. Felt cozy
Saturday or week night apts. (I can't stress this enough)
Tissues within reach, and "please cry, no judgement"
A big room so we had space away from each other
Yes to fidgets and yes to individually wrapped candy

Didn't like:
No receptionist (I get it, but it felt like do you know I'm here?)
Probably specific to the counselor - but a clock behind me. I could see them watching the clock waiting for time to end.

Again more to the therapist, but those who don't even pretend to take notes don't make me feel valued. We'd go back to stuff that was covered, and important to the new item, that I assume would be addressed in notes. For you a fancy notebook would make me smile in a silly way.

I have never been to a therapists office with a receptionist. I can’t imagine they could pay someone to sit there all day. Is that common in some places?

[litskispeciality]

spearmintleaf, the clock thing makes more sense. I have a love/hate (probably should talk to a counselor about) clocks. Not seeing one almost stresses me out for the reasons you mentioned, but I guess watching the time tick by would distract me from what we need to discuss.

af1212, I've only done in person therapy in small (one/two therapist) practices. One place was one office and the waiting room was the hallway. I assume OP would try for a waiting room if funding and space allowed. I went through a bigger practice through my doctor's office, and worked with an admin for scheduling, billing etc. If that was feasible it allowed for 5 more mins in the session rather than pulling out or calendars to schedule the next apt.

[revolution]

My favorite therapists office: There were two big oversized arm chair chairs that sat facing each other. Super comfy. One for me and one for her. And a little table beside my chair that I could put my drink on. And she and I both took our shoes off and I remember pulling my legs up and sitting so comfy in her chair and just talking.

and the room we talked in was on the second floor and the chairs were beside a window.  It was in an old house and there was never an office type feeling.