What to Expect in Our First Therapy Session
Below is an outline of what typically happens in first sessions so you can feel more at ease and prepared.
Session Outline
1. Introductions I’ll introduce myself — background, training, how I approach therapy — and invite you to share what you feel comfortable with about your life.
2. Approach & Process I’ll explain the therapeutic modalities I use (for example, CBT, mindfulness, trauma‐informed, etc.), how sessions tend to look, and what you can expect over time.
3. Confidentiality & Policies We’ll review confidentiality rules, limits of confidentiality (e.g. in cases of risk), session duration, scheduling, cancellation policies, fees, and professional boundaries.
4. Background & Context To understand your story, I’ll ask about relevant history: prior mental health treatment, relationships, family, life events, coping strategies, supports, and resources.
5. Initial Planning & Next Steps Toward the end, we’ll summarize what we’ve talked about, begin outlining goals and a plan, and decide what to focus on next. I may suggest reflections or small tasks for between sessions.
What you can do before we meet (optional):
- Reflect on the concerns or feelings you most want to address.
- Think about what you hope therapy might bring (even small changes).
- Consider past experiences with therapy (what was helpful, what wasn’t).
- Write down questions you’d like to ask in the session.
- Gather anything you think is relevant (reports, assessments, journals, etc.).
