What to expect from your first Therapy session

After facing enough ambivalence, you’ve decided to start therapy. Or at least, you’re almost there with the decision making. Either way, you have taken the first big step that calls for a moment of self-reflection and acknowledgement. The idea of therapy can be daunting to most of us as first-timers. Many put off seeking help from a therapist because they are unaware and unsure of how it could help them and what it feels like.
Many of us have experienced worsening mental health challenges during the COVID-19 Pandemic, and for those starting therapy or wanting to look into it, the lingering questions about what to expect and whether this is the right decision can create added anxiety. Here are some general guidelines about what to expect in your first session that may help ease your nervousness. You may want to reflect on how you would answer these questions. Feel free to write down your thoughts and bring them to the session.

Therapy is like someone gently walking through your brain, looking around and asking “Is this how you live?”

Introductions —
The session will likely begin with introductions where your therapist has an opportunity to tell you about themselves and vice versa. Your therapist may tell you about how they work, including their approach and their formation or expertise. They may talk about their confidentiality policy and ask you to complete the initial paperwork.

Determining compatibility —
An important objective of the first session is to gather some notes on why you want to seek therapy. They will likely ask you about why you are seeking support, what symptoms you are experiencing, how often and for how long. The therapist will ask questions to establish your main needs. The objective is to identify whether they are well placed to help you and if their approach is compatible with your ask or needs.

If the therapist thinks they are not well placed to help you, they will let you know and maybe refer you to a different support provider. This is only an indication of compatibility with their particular approach.

Identifying your therapy goals —
Following your conversation about the reasons for seeking therapy, you may be asked about your therapy goals- what you think you want to achieve at the end. This helps the therapist create a plan for working with you. This is based on how you have been feeling recently, when your problems may have started and what you want to accomplish.

Be open and remember that your therapist isn’t a mind reader. Everything you share allows them to ask the appropriate questions to help you in your forthcoming sessions.

This process above is also known as the ‘initial assessment’ and may involve filling out assessment forms. These are usually in the form of questionnaires, such as the PHQ or GAD. They help your therapist to really understand your symptoms.

Don’t shy away from questions —
This is your moment to ask questions about their formation and experience, the focus of their work and other practical concerns (eg. what if I have to cancel a session?). Getting to know each other is a mutual experience and the more you know the more comfortable you can feel about your sessions. You may want to preempt your questions, writing them down on a piece of paper and checking them off as you.

This will help you identify whether this particular therapist is a good match for you and your needs. If you feel that they may not have the best approach for what you’re going through, you can feel free to ask them to refer you to someone else.

Agreeing on the details —
Your therapist will ask about your expectations so you can come to an agreement about how you work together. This will include the frequency, duration, location and cost of the sessions. They will probably suggest a frequency and duration, but you can let them know if it’s incompatible with your schedule.

Cost —
Most therapists are happy to discuss the cost per session and find a price that works for both parties. Don’t be shy to share your budget- let them know how much you are comfortable paying and together you can agree on a price per session.

Scheduling and communication —
Together, you will agree on how you will communicate and schedule sessions (eg: how can you reach your therapist outside of your schedule). You may talk about what will happen if COVID-19 guidelines change. The most important thing is that you feel like you are in a safe space where you are able to speak honestly and truly. You may want to write down your agreements in case you need to refer to them later.

Once your first session comes to an end the first thing you should do is to check in with yourself. How the session went, did you have all your questions answered, is there more that you want to know about the treatment plan, and how would you feel working with the person you just met? The feeling of comfort opening up to your therapist may not come in immediately and that shouldn’t be a red flag. However, you should feel safe enough to begin talking so you give yourself the platform to feel more open about your emotions. Remember that therapy is an incredibly personalised process and it is completely okay to go through a few people before you find the right one. Ultimately, it is important that you feel like you’re taking a step in a direction of positive and personal growth.

Disclaimer: This article is partly based on personal experiences and should be taken as a general guide. Not all mental health support will follow this format

Source: Salvador Chavarria, UNAM (via Pictoline: https://www.pictoline.com/)