Maybe you’ve been feeling down or stressed. Maybe someone else in your life is going through a challenging season and you want to build tools to help them. Whatever your reason for seeking out therapy, you probably have some questions. A first therapy session can feel like a major unknown.
And since fear of the unknown is a big thing for most of us, we know that can keep people from trying therapy. In an effort to banish that barrier, we want to walk you through what to expect at your first therapy session. Let’s take a look.
Meeting with us
To make therapy convenient and safe for you, we’re currently offering telehealth and in-person sessions. The start of your time with us depends on the format you prefer.
If you choose telehealth, we send you a video call link. You just sit in front of your computer, phone, or tablet and click that link to join us at your appointment time. It works just like it would to join a virtual meeting at work or an online class at school.
If you choose to come to our office, we’ll have someone greet you in our lobby. They’ll show you to the room where you’ll meet with your therapist. We’ve worked hard to make sure our office is welcoming and comfortable, but if you have any tips to improve the in-person experience for you, please let us know.
You don’t need to dress any specific way for your therapy session. Just wear whatever feels most comfortable to you.
Whether you choose to meet with us online or in person, we have to get some logistics out the way first. We’ll have some paperwork for you to fill out. It’s pretty similar to the paperwork you have to complete before a doctor’s appointment.
Talking with your therapist
Your first therapy session is your chance to get comfortable with your therapist. They’ll ask you questions, but you can bring up anything you want to discuss. Remember, these sessions are for you. They don’t need to follow a specific format or accomplish any specific things. You can shape the therapy session as much or as little as you want. At the end of the day, your therapist’s goal is to come alongside you to help you get what you need out of your time with us.
During this first visit, your therapist will talk with you to establish a baseline. They’ll ask about your symptoms and your reasons for coming to therapy, for example.
From there, you and the therapist work together to develop a treatment plan that feels right for you. That might be talk therapy (a.k.a psychotherapy), but it might also include art or music therapy or holistic healing. Here at the Ventura Counseling & Wellness Center, we try to offer a broad range of services so you can explore what feels best for you.
In other words, we definitely don’t think that therapy is one-size-fits-all. We tailor your therapy sessions to you, and they can evolve with you over time.
Your first therapy session might feel pretty basic. But it’s an important step in letting your therapist get to know you so they can tailor treatment to you. Future sessions will go deeper.
Doing your homework
Your therapist might give you specific to-dos after your first session, like journaling each day for the next week. Or they might simply hold space for you until you meet with them next.
Either way, it’s important to check in with yourself after the therapy session. How do you feel? Did you say what you wanted to say? It might be helpful to jot down notes about things you want to bring up during your next session.
We encourage everyone to meet with a therapist for at least a few sessions to get comfortable with the format and the individual therapist. But if you feel like you’re not clicking with your therapist, don’t hesitate to talk to us. We won’t take it personally and can work with you to find the right therapist on our team to fit you best.
Are you ready to try a therapy session for yourself? To get started, get in touch with us. Our intake coordinator will talk with you about what you want from therapy so we can connect you with a therapist and book your first session.
