For some people the idea of going to therapy and talking to a therapist can be quite the daunting and uncomfortable proposition. The idea of paying a stranger to sit with you and talk about some of the most vulnerable, embarrassing or traumatic parts of your life can be scary or
challenging. Even for me, as a therapist, meeting with a therapist for the first time can be quite the nerve wracking experience. Sometimes the neutrality and objectivity of talking to someone you don’t know can help you move forward and make the changes you want in your life. Here I plan to tell you what you should expect from your first therapy session.
The first thing that you want to keep in mind when it comes to the first session is that you do not have to say everything about you or everything you have experienced in this session. Feel free to take things slow and to share only what you feel comfortable sharing. In a therapist’s mind this is only the start of your therapy journey so feel free to start with what you are comfortable talking about and building a relationship with your therapist. The therapist wants to build a relationship of trust with you in order to make having those difficult conversations easier. Also feel free to ask questions to your therapist about your concerns about the therapy or the journey that you are about to embark on. Remember the therapist wants to get to know you better and he/she will use various different methods to do that. Some of these can be through assessments, surveys or forms that he/she may have you complete prior to the first session. One of the most important things is that you are in control of what is discussed during this session so make the session about what you want to talk about.
First sessions with a therapist can be terrifying to some people and that is totally fine and normal. I hope this has helped ease some of your fears or concerns about the first session. If you still have questions, concerns or feel ready to take the next step and schedule your first session
then feel free to reach out!
Written by Nicholas Pujol, Registered Mental Health Intern #27522