What to expect at your first therapy appointment.

The experience of having a first therapy session can vary from person to person.  For some, this is a very vulnerable, nerve-wracking experience and can feel new and uncomfortable to share your feelings with someone.  For others, it provides immense relief and can even feel exciting and energizing.

All responses are normal, and it's important to remember that your therapist is there to help you. It's okay to take things at your own pace and ask questions if you're unsure about anything.   

Here are some common aspects that you might expect during your first therapy session:

1. Housekeeping: You’ve hopefully already filled out the intake paperwork and answered a few questions about yourself and what you are hoping for in therapy. Your therapist will introduce themselves and provide an overview of their approach to therapy.

2. Discussing your concerns: Your therapist will likely ask you to share what's been going on in your life and what brought you to therapy. They may ask questions to help you clarify your concerns and goals for therapy.

3. Setting goals and co-creating a treatment plan: You and your therapist may discuss specific goals you'd like to work towards in therapy - in other words, you’ll start to define what success would look like for you. This can help you focus your efforts and track your progress.

4.  Assessing fit: You'll likely get a sense of whether you feel comfortable with your therapist and whether you think they can help you. It's okay to take some time to reflect on your experience and decide whether you'd like to continue working with your therapist. The fit is the most important thing, as all the data shows that therapy is most successful when you feel like you have the right therapist for you, who understands and “gets” you. If you do not feel like your therapist is a fit for you, that is totally normal and ok, and we encourage you to reach back out to our Matching Specialist to help refine what you are looking for - we are here to help you find the right therapist for you.

We applaud you for taking this step to make time for yourself to pause, to heal, and to grow.