What to expect during your first therapy session
If you’ve never been to therapy before, you may have some questions about what it’s like to attend your first appointment and wondering what you should ask. Here’s a short summary of what to expect:
During your first appointment, your therapist will get to know you and ask about your reasons for seeking help right now.
Your therapist may explain his or her approach to helping you, which will include some of the strategies that will be used during each session.
Together with your therapist you will create goals for therapy, which is often related to your reasons for seeking help and what you’d like to change. It’s usually a basic outline of what to expect you will be working on each time you meet.
Lastly, your therapist will review paperwork, relevant office policies, financial agreements, scheduling and should discuss expectations for future sessions.
The first appointment is a good opportunity for you to ask any questions that you may have about your therapist, the therapeutic process, or any general concerns that you may have. It also provides you with the chance to see if your therapist will be a good fit for you in terms of their personality, approach, or availability. Don’t worry if you don’t get all of these topics covered during the first session, as you can always get your questions answered the next time you meet.