What to Expect From Your First Therapy Session
"The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The second best time is now." I open with that proverb a lot, because booking your first therapy session is exactly that kind of moment — the hardest part is deciding to start.
So you booked. Now what? Here's the honest answer: it's a conversation. There's no couch, no clipboard, no one silently judging you while you talk into the void. Here's what actually happens when you sit down with me for the first time.
We start with what's bringing you in
I'll ask you some version of "so, what brings you here?" — and then I'll listen. Really listen. You don't need a polished speech or the "right" words. Some people come in with a clear goal; others just know something isn't working. Both are completely fine starting points.
I'll ask questions — you can ask them too
A first session goes both ways. I'll ask about your history, your relationships, your work, what's been weighing on you lately. And I genuinely welcome your questions: how I work, what my approach is, whether I've helped people with something like what you're going through. You're choosing a therapist — you should interview me a little.
We'll talk about what working together looks like
I'll explain how I work: it's collaborative and practical. We dig into what's really going on, and you'll leave sessions with real, usable tools to practice between appointments — I call it homework, and my clients tell me it's one of the most useful parts of the process.
You don't have to spill everything at once
This is the one people worry about most. You do not need to tell me your whole life story in session one. Trust builds over time, and we go at your pace. My job in the first session is to start understanding where you are — not to crack you open like a walnut.
By the end, you'll know if we're a fit
You'll leave the first session with a sense of how I work and whether it feels right. If it does, we set up a rhythm that works for your life. If it doesn't, no hard feelings — finding the right therapist matters more than finding me specifically.
That's really it. The scariest part of therapy is the waiting room in your own head before you start. Once you're in the conversation, most people tell me some version of "huh, that was easier than I expected."
Ready to start? Your first step is a free 15-minute consultation — no pressure, no commitment. Book here.