FAQS: FIRST SESSION

For the most part the FIRST SESSION allows you and your therapist to meet and get to know each other. You share with your therapist the reasons for seeking therapy, your goals, and other information about yourself that will help your therapist understand you, your life situation, and your needs. 

Your therapist may ask you specific questions and is open to answering any questions you have. This process may include completing forms provided by your therapist.

Therapists have written information for you that explains basic policies and procedures. It includes an explanation of confidentiality and some information about its limits as well as the therapist’s policy regarding fees, cancellations, and payments. They ask you to sign a form to verify that you have received this information and agree to adhere to those policies.

At the end of the first session, you and your therapist will share general impressions and assess whether working together would be helpful to you or not. 

You can decide if you feel comfortable enough with this person to do the inner work that is needed (see “How to Choose a Therapist”). If you don’t, your therapist may be able to refer you to someone else or you can continue your search in other ways. 

If you want to work with this therapist, your goals and your therapist’s recommendations will be integrated to make a plan for helping you make the changes you are seeking.

This plan specifies goals and describes a course of action to help you achieve those goals. Sometimes this plan is formal and sometimes it's an informal understanding and agreement between the two of you. It's useful to review this periodically to make sure you're on the same page.