Your First Therapy Session
Your first session with the therapist will be different from future visits. The initial visit is a period for you and your therapist to get to know each other and get an idea of how to proceed. Future visits will be more therapeutic in nature. For example, in your second session, you may explore a specific symptom, problem, or past trauma you mentioned in the first session.
Keep in mind that psychotherapy usually requires multiple visits, so don’t expect any instant solutions to your problems the first day. Therapy is about equipping you with life-long solutions and not a quick fix.
During the first session, your therapist may ask you:
- What are your symptoms?
- What brought you to therapy?
- What do you feel is wrong in your life?
- Some questions about your history, including your childhood, education, relationships (family, romantic, friends), your current living situation, and your career
You and your therapist should also come to an agreement about the length of your treatment, methods to be employed, and ins and outs of patient confidentiality.