The Openness to Therapy Assessment (OTA) is designed to help you feel comfortable about beginning therapy. Meeting with a person that you don't know in an unfamiliar setting can be difficult. You may not be exactly sure what is keeping you from making that call to a therapist. The OTA will help you to recognize the issues which create the wall between you and counseling. Once you have recognized the issues and they are no longer vague then they are frequently easier to handle.

The result of this OTA evaluation provides suggestions to help bring down the wall of inaction. But ultimately you have to take the first step by calling the therapist. Then he or she can help you to further deal with the issues that cause you discomfort. As you and your therapist work together on these issues, you will become more skilled in achieving the goals for which you entered therapy.

Note: If you are someone who reads all of the precautions on a medicine label and after taking the medication, you think you have each problem, then this self evaluation is not for you. The OTA is designed to help you to feel more comfortable, not to increase your anxiety. It is good to be fully informed about therapy, but if you are already comfortable then there is no need to take the OTA.

DIRECTIONS: Read each of the 25 numbered sentences. Then choose the number on the scale beside the sentence that feels most appropriate for your situation.

When you are finished, submit your answers to us and we will send you the results within 24 hours. You have to input your email address for your responses to be evaluated. It will then be deleted and will not be used again for any reason. 

1. I do not know what is going to happen in therapy and I am not sure what I am supposed to do.

1----2----3----4----5----6----7----8----9----10 SELECT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

unsure ............................familiar with therapy

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2. I don't see how therapy can help. How is it supposed to work?

1----2----3----4----5----6----7----8----9----10 SELECT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

unfamiliar with therapy .........familiar with therapy 

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3. I'm worried that I will have to tell the therapist things about myself that I am uncomfortable feeling or admitting to a stranger.

1----2----3----4----5----6----7----8----9----10 SELECT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

uncomfortable.................................comfortable

too painful

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4. The therapist, my friends, family, neighbors, or coworkers might think I'm crazy. Only crazy people need psychotherapy.

1----2----3----4----5----6----7----8----9----10 SELECT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

others may...................................not concerned

think I'm crazy

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 5. I might find out I'm crazy.

1----2----3----4----5----6----7----8----9----10 SELECT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

seriously concerned .....................not concerned

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6. Will the therapist be able to keep what I say confidential? Are there any assurances?

1----2----3----4----5----6----7----8----9----10 SELECT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

concerned about.........................not concerned

confidentiality

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7. What if my employer finds out? Will my career be affected? Will it be on my record?

1----2----3----4----5----6----7----8----9----10 SELECT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

concerned about career.............not concerned

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 8. Therapy is too expensive.

1----2----3----4----5----6----7----8----9----10 SELECT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

too expensive.......................worth the expense

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9. I might feel foolish.

1----2----3----4----5----6----7----8----9----10 SELECT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

feel foolish .................................don't feel foolish

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10. Therapy may bring up feelings that I can't handle or that my therapist won't be able to handle.

1----2----3----4----5----6----7----8----9----10 SELECT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

overwhelming feelings................not a concern

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 11. I might lose control.

1----2----3----4----5----6----7----8----9----10 SELECT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

might lose control........................not concerned

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12. The therapist won't be able to understand me.

1----2----3----4----5----6----7----8----9----10 SELECT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

won't understand.....................can understand

continue...

13. What if this therapist isn't any good? What if he or she can't help me?

1----2----3----4----5----6----7----8----9----10 SELECT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

concern of mine...............................not concerned

14. I don't deserve to have all this time devoted to me. The therapist should be helping someone who "really needs it."

1----2----3----4----5----6----7----8----9----10 SELECT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

don't deserve help...................do deserve help

15. I feel weak if I ask for help. I should be self-sufficient and able to figure things out for myself.

1----2----3----4----5----6----7----8----9----10 SELECT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

shouldn't ask for help...........okay to get help

16. The therapist will see things in me that other people can't see and will pass judgment on me.

1----2----3----4----5----6----7----8----9----10 SELECT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

too exposed.............................not concerned

17. I'm concerned about what I may learn or reveal about myself.

1----2----3----4----5----6----7----8----9----10 SELECT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

concern of mine...............................not concerned

18. I might find out that I am not lovable and/or that deep down I don't like myself.

1----2----3----4----5----6----7----8----9----10 SELECT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

concern of mine...............................not concerned

19. With therapy, I will have to give up some aspect of my life that is important to me.

1----2----3----4----5----6----7----8----9----10 SELECT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

concerned ................................not concerned

20. I am only going to therapy because other people want me to go. I don't want to change.

1----2----3----4----5----6----7----8----9----10 SELECT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

don't need therapy.....................need therapy

21. My problems are not my fault. I'm not the one that needs to change.

1----2----3----4----5----6----7----8----9----10 SELECT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

don't need to change............do need to change

22. I have had a bad experience with a therapist in the past.

1----2----3----4----5----6----7----8----9----10 SELECT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

bad experience.................no bad experiences

23. Therapy may not be compatible with my spiritual beliefs.

1----2----3----4----5----6----7----8----9----10 SELECT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

beliefs are ............................therapy & spirituality

incompatible........................can be integrated

24. The therapist may not like me.

1----2----3----4----5----6----7----8----9----10 SELECT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

won't like me................................will like me

 25. My problem can't be fixed. This won't help. Nothing will help.

1----2----3----4----5----6----7----8----9----10 SELECT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

feeling hopeless.......................things can change

.................................................there is hope! 

That was the last question...

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