What to expect from your first counseling session
You searched, asked the questions and now are meeting the therapist for the first time.
You already did the hard work but why does the thought of walking into the office feel so intimidating? Knowing what to expect during your first therapy session can greatly reduce anxiety and lead to a better experience for you and your therapist.
As an anxiety therapist who specializes in life transitions and work/life balance I can greatly appreciate the feelings my new clients bring into my office the first time we meet. I make sure to send out an email prior to the session with notes about what they can expect and how to prepare and I want to share that with you.
What will happen after you decide to schedule?
What to expect in your first therapy session with Megan Giroux
After talking with your new therapist and scheduling your appointment you can take a deep breath. The hardest part is done! You decided to commit and you have a place and time. Pat yourself on the back and when you start to feel anxious repeat to yourself, “I’ve got this.” After scheduling a session for anxiety therapy I send my new client a welcome email that includes an appointment reminder, link to my client portal where they can sign in and fill out my intake paperwork and a short summary of what to expect for the first session- arrive a few minutes early and I will come and get you at the time of your session.
What do you need to do to prepare for the first session?
Once a new client receives my welcome email I ask that they fill out the online intake forms at least 24 hours prior to their first session with me. I know clients are busy but this allows me to prepare for the session and get an idea of what is going on for the client before we even meet. This helps guide me in session questions and also contributes to a more helpful first session for my clients.
What happens in the first session?
Depending on the therapist you choose the first session might have a few variables. By sharing how I handle initial sessions it should help reduce anxiety and help you feel prepared when you walk through the door. I have a private waiting room and greet clients from the waiting room at the time of their session. If you arrive a few minutes early I have water and warm beverages because sometimes it helps to talk over a shared mug. I will use the full 60 minutes to ask questions about you and better understand your unique story and reason for seeking therapy at this time. I reference the information you shared in filling out the intake paperwork, answer questions about any of my policies or myself as a therapist that you may have and then solidify our plan together going forward.
Clients are often shocked when the session is over saying, “I can’t believe how fast that went, I was worried about what to talk about but it flew by.” As a new client your job is to show up and sit on my couch and it is my job to put you at ease and introduce you to the therapy process.
Will I have homework?
No and Yes. I don’t pass out worksheets but my clients and I use our session time to identify patterns and then work to change them. Because of this the life you live outside of the therapy session is valuable time for ‘noticing’ and then bringing back information for us to process together. I started providing notecards because clients often want to capture ‘ah-ha’ moments that happen in therapy to then work to live out in their day to day life.
When will I have my next session?
This is why asking questions before an initial session is so helpful with a potential therapist because everyone handles scheduling differently. When I talk with a possible new client I am able to offer a standing appointment time so after the first session the client knows how we are meeting until a change needs to be made or they graduate from therapy with me. If your therapist handles scheduling differently you should still expect to schedule your next appointment before you leave but you may need to take a few minutes before the end of the session to see when their next available appointment time is.
What if I don’t like what happened in the first session or I am not sure it is a good match?
It is important and expected that you pay attention to your feelings about how the first session went. Even though I offered a standing appointment time to a client before we met I make sure to end the first session with a few minutes for both of us to reflect on how the session went and feedback both ways on fit and plan to continue working together. If I think that someone may be a better fit for your therapy needs I will share that with you and then work to connect you to them for a referral. Alternately if a client was to give me feedback that they needed something different it would either guide our focus for the next session with changes made or I would provide a referral based on what was shared. A therapy relationship is a relationship and it is important that both the client and therapist feel confident about the partnership for therapy to be effective.
I know it can feel daunting but scheduling, preparing for and attending your initial therapy session is the first step toward the change you desire! I hope that this article about what to expect when you attend therapy for the first time is helpful and encourages you to start your own therapy journey today.
If you still have anxiety about starting therapy please consider connecting with me here, I would love to talk with you about how I provide therapy to women with anxiety in the greater Raleigh area.