What to Expect From Your First Therapy Session
Starting Therapy
Starting therapy can feel like a big step, whether you’re returning after taking a break, or trying it for the first time. You may feel nervous, hopeful, or somewhere in between. This is completely natural.
This post is here to help demystify what a first session with me might look like.
The most important thing to know is that meeting any new therapist is an opportunity to see how working together might feel. It is about beginning to build trust, and getting a sense of whether they are someone who helps you feel supported, seen, and understood.
No Need to Prepare
When you arrive at your first session with me, it is likely we will have already exchanged emails, and even spoken on the phone. However, a full session gives us more space to explore what’s brought you to therapy. I may ask more about what’s going on for you, and what you hope to get out of our work together.
It’s important to know that you don’t need to prepare anything, or come in knowing exactly what to say. Some people start with a simple version of what’s been going on for them – an overview of what they’ve been struggling with. It’s my role to meet you where you are, and help you start to unpack whatever it is you’re carrying.
The Practical Side
There are also some practical things to cover. Ahead of our first meeting, I’ll send you a therapy agreement and a pre-therapy form. The therapy agreement outlines how I work and includes important information about things like confidentiality and communication. I always encourage you to give these a read before we meet. Then, if you have any questions, or would simply prefer to go through it together, we can spend time doing so.
It's important to say that opportunity for this doesn’t close here: You are always welcome to ask questions or seek clarification, at any point down the line.
The Start of Something
Above all, your first session is a beginning; the start of a conversation. It is not a test, nor is it a commitment to one specific path.
My goal is simply to create a space where you feel heard and supported, and to give you a sense of whether this feels like the right step for you.
