First Therapy Session

What Happens at Your First Therapy Session?

When you set the appointment, your prospective therapist will provide you with information about fees. This is customary since most people are not sure about price. When you tell them the name of your insurance company, they can give you a figure based on current fee schedules. You will also be told what, if any, documentation you are required to bring with you on the first visit.

When you arrive, try to get their ten to fifteen minutes early. Just like at the doctor’s office, there will be paperwork to fill out as a new patient. Giving yourself time means you will be less nervous and more prepared. Payments are usually processed at the end so don’t worry about pulling out your credit card or checkbook just yet.

When it is your turn to see the therapist you’ll enter his or her room. There will be a couch or chair but you don’t have to feel the need to recline if you don’t want to. The therapist will introduce themselves and maybe tell you a bit about what they do.

This first session is an introductory session (no discount applied though). You can take the time to learn about the therapist by asking questions. This is your fifty minutes or an hour to spend as you like. Once all of the questions are out of the way and you are satisfied that he or she has the credentials and the expertise that you require, now it is time to discover the reason you are there.

They may ask you to state what you hope to get out of your time together. Don’t feel pressured to give some long drawn-out answer using big words or fancy terms. You may not even fully understand what has brought you there besides the desire to solve some problem in your life. Wherever you choose to begin, both of you can get the ball moving in the right direction from there.

If you blurt out several different problems, you may be asked to pick the one you most want to start with. Here is where the work will begin. As you talk, your therapist will be writing notes or recording your session. Don’t be put off by it. They are tools to help enhance your sessions. He really is listening to you.

At the end of your first session, your therapist will want to know if you believe that they can help you. This is not a right or wrong answer. Judging by your first impressions and the feeling you have at the end of that session, you can make an informed decision. If your answer is yes, you will set a time for the next appointment.

Therapy can be scary. Learn what to expect from your first session before you go.