What To Expect In A First Therapy Session
So you’ve found a therapist who seems like a good fit and you’ve booked a first appointment. What can you expect in the first session?
Here are some things you’ll probably have happen in that first meeting, though specifics will be different with different therapists.
You’ll be given some information about what the therapy will involve and what will remain confidential. The vast majority of information you share with your therapist remains confidential but there are a few specific situations in which confidentiality may need to be broken. Your therapist should outline these for you, either in a consent form or verbally.
You’ll be asked about the difficulties you’re experiencing and your goals for therapy. You don’t have to have clear goals right now! Your therapist can help you clarify what you want to get from therapy if you aren’t totally sure. All you may know at this point is that your life isn’t going the way you’d hoped, and you want to feel better.
You’ll be asked about your past, including your family and social life, school and work experiences, health history, and any previous therapy and mental health treatment. You may be asked a little or a lot about these things, depending on the therapist.
You may be asked to fill out questionnaires. Some therapists use questionnaires in the first appointment and possibly in later sessions to learn more about you and monitor changes over time. Some therapists don’t use questionnaires at all while others use them in every session.
You’ll talk about the cost of therapy and payment. Unless you’re receiving therapy through a publicly-funded service, payment will be required to receive therapy. The therapist will talk to you about the cost of services and how payments can be made. This is also an opportunity to discuss any insurance coverage you might have that fully or partially covers the cost of sessions.
Your therapist will likely offer you their assessment of how your difficulties fit together in your life right now and provide an initial treatment plan what you and the therapist can work on to help shift things for you. How much detail you get in this treatment plan from your therapist will vary based on your therapist’s working style and how much information you were able to cover in that first session.
In our first sessions with new clients, we’ll ask about your life and therapy goals, your current life details (relationships, work/school, hobbies), your history (childhood, school experiences, friendships, medical and mental health history), and current mental health symptoms. We’ll aim to give you a formulation and treatment plan at the end of that first session that will act as a possible roadmap for treatment, though know that this initial formulation and plan will likely change somewhat over time. We’ll welcome your thoughts and feedback throughout that first session and beyond. Once we have that roadmap figured out, then we’ll begin to help you live the life you want!
Disclaimer: This post is intended for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for psychotherapy. The information provided is general and may not be appropriate for your particular mental health needs. Always consult a qualified health professional to discuss your personal needs and goals.