What to expect in your first counselling session
Are you about to go to a counsellor for the first time? Whatever your reason for seeking help, you will be more at ease and get better results if you know what to expect.
In your first session, we will typically ask certain questions about you and your life. This information helps us make an initial assessment of your situation.
Questions we might ask include:
Why you sought therapy. A particular issue probably led you to seek counselling. Your clinician has to understand your surface problem(s) before they can get to the deeper issues.
Your personal history and current situation. Your clinician will ask you a series of questions about your life. For example, because family situations play an important role in who you are, they’ll ask about your family history and your current family situation.
Your current symptoms. Other than knowing the reason you sought counselling, your clinician will attempt to find out if you’re suffering from other symptoms of your problem(s). For example, your problem(s) might be causing difficulty at work.
Your clinician will use this information to better understand your problem(s). If you are seeking a diagnosis, this will likely take a few sessions.
Don’t just sit there. Therapy is a team effort. If you don’t take an active part in the session, you won’t find the counselling experience valuable.
Here are some things you can do to make your first session as successful as possible:
Be open. Our clinicians are trained to ask the right questions, but we are not mind readers, and mind reading probably wouldn’t be our superpower of choice … being able to teleport would be handy though. Your clinician can only do their job effectively if you answer questions as openly and honestly as you can.
Be prepared. Before you get to the session, have a go at trying to describe “what’s wrong,” and to describe your feelings about your problem. One way to prepare is to write down the reasons you’re seeking help. Make a list and then read it out loud. Hearing yourself say it a few times will help you describe things more clearly to your clinician.
Ask questions. The more you understand the counselling experience or how counselling works, the more comfortable you’ll be. Ask questions about the therapy process, and ask your clinician to repeat anything you don’t understand. There is no such thing as a stupid question.
Be open and honest about your feelings. A lot will be going through your head in this first session. Listen to your own reactions and feelings, and share them with the therapist. You’ll both learn from these insights.
Have a crack at rocking up for your first session with realistic expectations. Therapy is not a quick fix for your problem, rather it is a process. With some effort on your part and a strong relationship with your clinician, it can be a successful tool toward resolving problems.
Clients have the right to:
Privacy, respect and confidentiality
Be respectfully listened to and treated like an individual (not a number)
Receive appropriate care and treatment by a highly trained clinician
Make decisions about the care they receive
Revoke consent at any time
It is the client’s responsibility to:
Attend appointments or provide at least 48 business hours-notice of a cancellation (full session payment cancellation fee applies)
Actively participate in their treatment
Ask if they need more information or clarification
Work with their clinician to formulate goals that will improve their wellbeing