If you have decided to attend therapy or counseling for the first time, you deserve commendation! This experience can be a big stepping stone on your path to improved mental wellness and enhanced coping skills. But if you have never been to therapy before, you might be a bit intimidated by the road ahead. What can you expect during your initial session? This blog post explains.
Evaluation and Consultation
Often, before your first therapy session, you will be asked to complete a psychiatric evaluation. This may involve a detailed medical history and a discussion of why you feel you need therapy. While this is not the time to do a deep dive into your current challenges, it is important that you be honest and upfront about the biggest issues that you are struggling with. This can help your care team make any necessary diagnoses and plan your next steps.
Focusing on the Why
During your initial therapy session, the “why” behind your decision to seek help will likely be a major focus. Before your appointment, you can make notes about your current struggles and what you hope to accomplish through therapy. Share the most relevant information so your therapist can get started on understanding how they can help you.
Asking Questions
You should feel free to ask questions about the therapeutic process! For example, you can ask about your therapist’s MATTY:
- Modality: What types of therapy do they offer, and do they have special certifications?
- Approach: What philosophy drives your therapist’s methods?
- Typical client: What kind of clients does the therapist see most often?
- Track record: What kind of experience does your therapist have?
- Yardstick: How does your therapist measure progress?
Looking Forward
Toward the conclusion of your initial session, you might feel optimistic about the road ahead — or you might feel about the same as before you started. Both of those feelings are normal! Remember that therapy takes time to work, and it might take several sessions and a lot of hard work on your part before you feel like you are making significant progress. Be committed to the process, and it is very likely that things will start to improve.
Therapy is highly individualized, and each office/therapist may have a unique approach to getting started with patients. Do not be afraid to ask your chosen care provider what typically happens during an initial session. Preparing yourself ahead of time can set realistic expectations and help you understand the road ahead.
Meet the Practice
At TruHarmony Psychiatry in Austin, we work under the leadership of Fauzia Akhtar, a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner who has more than a decade of experience in healthcare. Our team offers therapy and counseling, medication management, and more. If you are ready to explore how we may be able to help you improve your mental wellness, contact us at 512-649-3880.
