Starting therapy can feel like a big step. Many people wonder what they should do to prepare, or worry that the first session will be complicated. In reality, the first meeting is about getting to know you, understanding your difficulties, and beginning to think together about what might help.
Think about what has brought you to therapy
At the start of therapy, I’ll usually ask a general question about what has led you to book a session. It can be helpful to reflect on where you’d like to “start” with this. You don’t need to prepare a script — just an overview of your difficulties, when they began, and how they affect you now.
If your difficulties are longstanding, why are you seeking therapy now? Are you at a place where you feel more ‘ready’ to address things?
Sometimes people come to therapy after a ‘melting pot’ of difficult experiences have happened in a short space of time. If this is the case it’s our job to work together to understand and ‘untangle’ these. In the first session, we will usually spend time getting an overview of each of these difficulties.
Share examples and experiences
During the first session, most clients do the majority of the talking. I may ask questions to clarify or invite you to share specific examples of when your difficulties have been triggered. If your challenges began some time ago, it can be useful to think about how they’ve changed over time, or what events may have knocked your confidence.
Consider your goals
Towards the end of the first session, I’ll often ask about your goals. What would you like to achieve if we were to work together? What would feel different at the end of therapy? If you’re interested in a particular approach, such as EMDR, it’s helpful to mention this. Your preferences matter, and therapy works best when we collaborate on a plan that feels right for you.
Building the process together
We don’t need to cover everything in your first session, and I would discourage you from over‑preparing. Therapy is a process of layering: I will guide you, and together we’ll bring our reflections into sessions and use these to make sense of your experiences and move forward. You are an individual, and it takes time to get to know each other and for us to build an understanding of your difficulties. An assessment session is a good starting point, but therapy unfolds gradually as trust builds and understanding deepens.
Final thought: Preparing for therapy doesn’t mean having all the answers. It simply means reflecting on what has brought you here, being open to sharing your experiences, and thinking about what you’d like to change. The rest we’ll work through together.