What can I expect from my first therapy session?

Will I be lying on a couch in therapy?

Is my therapist going to be one of those old school psychologists?

What if my therapist judges me for what I say?

What am I expected to do in the first session?

Well, firstly –you probably wont be sleeping on a couch unless you have a therapist who is an old school Psychoanalyst which is highly unlikely! Fears around therapy are very real, especially if this is your first time. It can feel scary. You’ve seen it in the movies and heard about it but never experienced it yourself. So, what is the first session like?

A first session can look a bit different depending on what sort of therapist you go to – their personality and therapeutic approach. Usually, you will find that a first session involves:

• A few ‘ground rules’ about therapy, confidentiality and exceptions to this, how many sessions and frequency – signing a counselling agreement usually accompanies this
• An overall picture: Getting a basic and overall understanding of what you might be struggling with, how your past experiences impact the present, and what is keeping you stuck
• Questionnaires or forms specific to depression, anxiety etc to identify the severity of your difficulties and track changes as time progresses
• Your goals: What you are looking for from therapy, if your therapist is the best fit for you, and how you might work together with your therapist
• Any questions or concerns you might have about therapy or your therapist

Personally, I like to keep the first session quite informal so it resembles what a therapy session with me looks like. Although I do ask for important details about your life, I leave the slightly more structured information collecting part to the second session so that we can focus on whether I am the right therapist for you before we proceed.

If you have any specific questions about your first session with me, feel free to ask!

Email: innerbeamcounselling@gmail.com

Contact number: 07721649458