The goal of a first therapy session is for you and your therapist to get to know each other. You will likely discuss why you’ve decided to start therapy. Generally, your first therapy session should feel in some ways like the beginning of any meaningful relationship. It’s all about establishing trust. It’s OK to research your therapist before you meet.
Depending on your needs, preferences, or the type of therapy, a first session can vary. Most likely, your therapist will start by asking you some basic questions, such as, “What’s been going on in your life lately?”. Or, “why are you seeking therapy?”
Some therapists hold space for a client to jump right in and talk about what’s most important to them. The therapist joins the conversation only to help guide it and provide reflections on what you’ve shared. It’s okay to find yourself talking the majority of the time, even in your first therapy session.
Inversely, it’s also very normal not to know what you want to say and to rely on your therapist to help guide the conversation. Other people feel more comfortable asking their therapist a lot of questions and establishing trust in that way.
Other therapists take a more structured approach, asking questions. In your first appointment you might discuss your specific goals, your therapist’s treatment approach, or even the number of sessions you might need or want.
No matter what, a therapy session is your time. You can talk about what’s been going on in your life, you can spend some time asking your therapist questions, or working on some goals that are important to you.
What’s most important at the end of your session is that you feel like you were heard and not judged, and that you could see yourself trusting your therapist to help you reach your goals.
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