Author: Sadhana Singh, Counselling Psychologist
Editor: EmptyCare team
Updated on: 15 December 2022
Do you feel nervous before your first therapy session? Do you feel that most individuals discuss therapy and how it is going, but that no one ever discusses how they prepared for the first few sessions? It is a fairly common and natural emotion to have. Being open and vulnerable in front of a stranger is a tremendous step.
Congratulations, for booking an appointment with a therapist (if you haven’t - here are a few skilled therapists from EmptyCare that you might like). Now, a night before the session you feel excited to start this new journey, to work through your current concerns, to understand certain deeper conflicts, to find a purpose, when suddenly these thoughts trigger some anxiety and uncertainty. These thoughts can make you even more nervous however, taking a few steps can help you calm the nerves and prepare you better for the session. Arranging your thoughts and creating an agenda would make the process even more comfortable for you.
Keep in mind that everything you share in therapy is confidential.
1. Areas that you should consider
It's highly recommended to take some time to think about what you want to achieve in therapy. To answer questions like; how do you establish the proper pace so that this new interaction with a new therapist meets all your needs? Here are a few prompts that you could use when preparing for the session:
You have a better idea of what you want from your therapy sessions after reflecting on the above prompts, and you are ready for step two.
2. Schedule the session at a convenient time
If you have not been to therapy before, consider taking the session at a time convenient for you. Therapy is different for everyone some feel good after the session and can go back to their typical functioning whereas, some might feel overwhelmed and might need to take a few hours. To be on a safer side, block time before and after the session. Try to book the session on your day off or on days that you don’t have other significant plans in place.
Sit with your thoughts and reflect upon the goals you have set for the therapy in the time blocked before session. This will allow you to have more grip on the situation, and you will feel calmer.
3. Be Open & Honest in the session
As difficult as it may seem, if you want to benefit the most from therapy, you must be open and honest about your feelings and thoughts. That doesn't mean you have to express all your deepest emotions during the first session, but please give yourself a little more leeway. Therapy isn't always a pleasurable activity, and it might make you uncomfortable for you to succeed.
The process does not do justice if you are not open and honest. You are taking therapy to foster your mental health and understand certain behaviours, if you are not honest to yourself and the therapist then the process gets slower and ineffective. Keep in mind that everything you share in therapy is kept confidential.
4. Ask questions
You might have a few questions regarding confidentiality, the process of therapy, billing, how much time it takes or no questions at all, ask away the questions you have. This is your journey, whatever makes you most comfortable. There is no wrong question in therapy, the therapist might not have all the answers, but they would explore solutions with you.
Feel free to ask questions regarding your therapist's training, techniques, and anything else you're interested in throughout the session.
5. What If I Don’t Like My Therapist?
Therapy is a two-way street; you and your therapist create a therapeutic alliance, and you must be compatible. You deserve to share your experiences with someone who you feel at ease with and who won't judge you. It’s okay to not like your first or even second therapist, keep searching until you find the most suitable match. There is nothing wrong in telling the therapist that it’s not working for you, and you’d like to change.
Sometimes, you dislike the therapist because they identify the patterns that you didn’t like, and they ask you to work on them to achieve goals just like how you dislike your fitness trainer for making you work harder but it's for a greater good. A therapist’s goal is your well-being, and their intervention techniques may voice ideas that you might not like; if you are uncomfortable and want to take more time before exploring those areas you can tell them.
Therapist will support your decision of not working with them and understand that you are acting in your best interest and those of your health because they are experts. They might even be able to point you in the direction of a new therapist who will be a better fit.
With the above in mind, you are ready for your first session, and we would like to wish you the best. If you're thinking "I need a therapist near me" but don't know where to start, you can explore qualified therapists at EmptyCare.
The good life is a process, not a state of being. It is a direction, not a destination. - Carl Rogers
