What to expect from therapy, counseling, psychotherapy, and coaching in Windsor, California
You’ve got the appointment booked, now what?
You did your due diligence. You talked to a few counselors. You booked with the one in Windsor, CA that felt good. The one you can imagine doing good work with them. It was not an easy task, Sonoma County has so many promising therapists, narrowing to one took some time. You’re getting ready for the first appointment, and now… What should you expect?
There are a few must do’s, stuff that a therapist is obligated to say in the first session. Be ready for some information on the limits of confidentiality (ask questions if you need any of this clarified), how the clinician protects your information in accordance with HIPAA, education, and modality (how your counselor works).
After that, each counselor has their own way of conducting the first session. It could be filling out lengthy intake paperwork together, lots of question to gather information and history, or just asking you what brought you in and going from there. The pressure will not be on you to fill the spaces. Your therapist will ask questions if you slow and aren’t sure where to go.
Feeling anxious is normal. You will not be asked to share more than you are ready to share. Therapy does not start with pulling the deepest skeletons out of your closet. There will be a build to that. Your counselor will want to make sure you are ready and your trust in them is strong enough before you pull them out. There is no rush to get to that point.
There is no wrong way to do therapy. Your job is only to show up. The professional you hired will take it from there. When you leave, you should feel more optimistic than you did when you came in.
That’s really it. There isn’t anything to prepare for, you need only show up and talk. Your counselor will support you in doing just that.
If you read this and still feel anxious, please, feel free to give me a call 707.593.6333 and set up a free consultation. I want you to head to your first session feeling comfortable. If you are looking for support to build healthy relationships, including your relationship with yourself, take a look at my services here.
