If you’ve never been to therapy before, you may have a lot of questions about what it feels like to see a therapist. That’s normal! As humans, many of us feel a bit of uncertainty or anxiety when facing a novel situation. Folks heading to therapy aren’t looking for additional anxiety to be added to their plate, so I wanted to take a moment to share what you can expect when you go see a therapist. Keep in mind, I’m writing from my own orientation and practice as a therapist - there is a fairly wide variation in terms of therapist’s personalities and how they interact with clients, and unfortunately I can’t speak for every therapist out there. Even so, I hope that this information helps you to feel more clear on what to expect when you meet with your therapist.
So without further ado, here are a few things to expect when you see a therapist:
Intake paperwork - I don’t know of any therapists who love intake paperwork, but it is a critical part of making sure that you as a client understand our practice policies. Make sure you take the time to read over the paperwork carefully before signing it, and ask your therapist if anything feels unclear. The bread and butter of this paperwork is typically called an “Informed Consent,” which basically serves to inform clients (that’s you) about the possible risks and benefits of mental health treatment, fee/insurance information, when confidentiality may need to be broken, cancellation policies, etc. Some therapists bundle this into their first session; I prefer to go over it on the phone when clients book and then to send the forms out electronically so that it doesn’t eat up valuable time during our initial session.
A Warm Welcome - Research shows that a significant portion of symptom reduction in mental health can be attributed to the quality of the relationship between the client and their therapist. You should feel that your therapist cares about your struggles, is nonjudgmental, and is capable of providing warm professional support. Many therapists practice “unconditional positive regard,” meaning that we see our clients through a strengths-based lens and with an understanding that they are typically doing the best they can in the face of a variety of challenges. That doesn’t mean that we see you through rose-colored glasses, just that we are here to accept you just as you are, warts and all, and to gently assist you in moving towards a healthier, happier way of being.
Evidence-based practice - Just like physicians or other medical practitioners, therapists utilize evidence-based practice in our work with clients. This means that we keep up with research in our field(s) of expertise and that we utilize treatment models (such as CBT, EFT, or EMDR) that have been shown to have measurable impacts on mental health issues. You may not care too much about the alphabet soup after your therapist’s name, but it’s helpful to know how their approach may or may not work with your current struggles. Goodtherapy.org has a helpful index called “Types of Therapy” that will help you gain more information about the wide variety of theoretical approaches that therapists use. Also - feel free to go old school and simply ask a potential therapist to explain the treatment models they use!
Variable Emotions - After seeing a therapist for the first time, some clients feel emotionally lighter after sharing their struggles with another person. Other clients feel very vulnerable, or even embarrassed, sometimes to the point of not booking another session. Please know that, as therapists, we are not here to judge you and are rarely (if ever) shocked at the things we hear in session. We are truly here to help support you, wherever you are in your journey. Sometimes in therapy, things can feel worse before they feel better (akin to ripping the band-aid off). However, if you continue to feel worse after several sessions, please bring this up with your therapist. They might need to adjust your treatment approach or, in some cases, refer you to another therapist or medical provider.
So there you have it - a few things to expect when seeing a therapist. I hope that this has helped to demystify the process for you. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to reach out to me by clicking “Contact” in the link above, or by dropping a comment below. Wishing you healing and a wonderful experience in therapy!