Q: What is a consult call?
A: A free 10–20 minute phone call most therapists offer before you book anything. It exists to check fit — theirs and yours. What happens: you pick a time → they call you → you describe what's going on in a sentence or two → you ask your questions → no charge, nothing shared, no obligation either direction.
Worked example: three consult calls on a Tuesday = 45 minutes, $0, and usually a clear front-runner — versus $540 spent discovering the same ranking via three paid first sessions at $180.
Do this: ask three things on every call: "How would you work with what I described?" · "What would weekly cost me, all-in?" · "Do you have a consistent slot?" The 5-day search method → builds around these calls.
Source: TherapyCalifornia decision guides, August 2026.