YOUR FIRST SESSION

In your first session, we will review the New Patient Questionnaire you completed online about you and your life. This information helps me make an initial assessment of your situation. Areas we'll cover include:

Why you sought therapy. A particular issue probably led you to seek counseling at this time and I need to understand your motivations and expectations.

Your personal history and current situation. The reason we discuss your personal history in the beginning of the therapy process is simply to rule out the need to spend additional time on your past.  Only to the extent your history is relevant to your current situation will it be a focus of therapy. 

Your current symptoms. Other than knowing the reason you sought therapy, I will attempt to find out about any symptoms associated with your issue and how your life is being impacted.

You do not need to share all of your inner secrets at your first session. The beginning phase of therapy is about building a trusting therapeutic rapport and relationship. You can share things at a rate that feels comfortable for you.