Therapy 101: What To Expect In Your First Session

The process of therapy can feel both like a relief and a leap into the unknown. Whether your feeling anxious, curious, excited or hopeful, its completely normal to be unsure about what therapy looks like and how to navigate the first session. If this is you first time in therapy or your first time in a while, here are some things you can expect.

The first session of therapy is the intake session, this session is about building connection and helping your therapist understand why you are seeking support. There is no pressure to feel you need to have a perfect summary of your life or perfectly worded therapy goals. Instead, your therapist will gently guide the session by asking different questions to get a view of you as a whole person not just your initial concerns. Some of these questions may sound like; What's been going on lately? What led you to seek support at this time? What would you like to feel differently about?

Think of the first session as a starting point, not a deep dive. There is no pressure to share more than your comfortable with. Like any meaningful relationship, the theraputic connection grows gradually.

What You'll Likely Cover

Depending on your therapist's style and needs of the session, your therapist will likely gently explore the following;

• An overview of your current challenges

• An overview of what you've tried so far (coping skills)

• A brief look at your background (family, relationships, work, etc.)

• A discussion about what you'd like to get out of therapy

• A brief look at your history with therapy or mental health

• An explanation on how sessions work, confidentiality and boundaries

Each therapist works a bit differently and they'll explain their process along the way. If you have any questions about the process, their approach or anything else, feel free to ask. Therapy works best when it feels collaborative and supportive.