So, You’ve Scheduled Your First Counseling Session… Pt. 1

The first session of counseling is, for many, the most intimidating. Where do I go? Do I need to get there early? What am I going to talk about? How long will the session last? Am I going to cry? The anxiety is real - trust me I’ve been there. There’s the anxiety of finding the office, and arriving on time, and maybe there’s even a little bit of dread knowing you’re about to sit across from a stranger for an hour and talk about some really intimate, and difficult things. I mean, it’s a lot to ask! I hope that by laying out what a first session often looks like, I can help you feel a little more confident walking into your first session. 

A quick disclaimer - initial sessions will look different from counselor to counselor and depending on the setting your counselor works in. This is a general idea of what a first session looks like in my own work.

Generally, the first session will be what we call an “intake session.” This means that the counselor’s expectations are fairly simple - we want to get to know you! The first session is meant to gather information, and get a clear idea of what you’re looking for from therapy. The first session (and the initial phone consultation) is a good time to make sure that we can provide you with the best treatment possible based on our background, education and knowledge on your presenting concern - if we don’t feel well suited to meet your needs, we might refer out to another provider that might be a better fit. Sometimes the intake session will be longer than others for the purpose of gathering all of the necessary information, though generally, individual counseling sessions last for 45-50 minutes. For the intake, we often have a general list of questions we’d like to ask to get to know you better, including: What are you reasons for seeking counseling right now? What are some of your goals for counseling? What are you expecting from counseling? What does your mental and physical health history look like? What kind of support do you have? What will life look like for you when your goals are met? And don’t worry, this first session is a great opportunity for you to ask your counselor questions, too! So, let’s get into some more specifics:

• Paperwork

  • At the time of your first session there will be a big ol’ stack of paperwork for you to fill out. This paperwork includes important information about informed consent, confidentiality, the counseling process and information on what your rights are as a client as well as what our responsibility is as a therapist (and mandated reporter). There will also be important information about how we store client files (notes, paperwork, etc.), and information about fee’s, cancellation policy, etc.

  • At the beginning of the session I, and many other therapists, will always discuss the really important parts of the paperwork with you so that you’re fully informed.

• The Session

  • This is where things might look different from counselor to counselor. Some prefer to take more time with the paperwork, and conduct a formal intake with you which will include a lot of questions. Some (including myself) prefer to jump right in to talking about your history, goals, and expectations of counseling.

  • In this first session, it may feel like you’re remaining on the surface of some issues. This is intentional. Like I said earlier, the first session is a time for information gathering, and getting to know each other - a first impression really. The sessions following will allow for opportunities to go deeper into some of the things you’ve shared in the initial session.

  • At the end of the session is when the counselor may check in on your first impressions of counseling, collect payment, and schedule for the next session. Congratulations! You made it through your first counseling session!

As a client, something you may want to reflect upon after your first few sessions with a new therapist is your own first impressions. You are about to embark on really meaningful and important work - does it feel like this person is the right person to be on that journey with you? Do you feel comfortable with and accepted by this person? The rapport you have with your therapist is so important and you have every right to examine the fit of this relationship at the beginning and throughout the therapeutic process.

Now that you have a better understanding of what the first counseling session might look like, hopefully the overwhelming unknown doesn’t feel quite as overwhelming. In the next post, I’ll talk more generally about what you can expect from the counseling process as a whole. 

What questions do you still have about your initial counseling appointment?

Disclaimer: The information available on and through the blog on juniper-counseling.com is presented in summary form as a supplement to, and NOT a substitute for, the knowledge, skill, and judgment of qualified psychiatrists, psychologists, physicians and health care professionals. Should you have any physical/mental health or medical questions or concerns, please consult a physician, psychotherapist or other health care professional.