Your 1st appointment

 

 At your first appointment, you can expect the beginning of a relationship with your

therapist. Your therapist will come get you in the waiting room, and you will sit down

in their office and talk. There will be a few minutes of gathering information from you

(mailing address, insurance information, etc.), and signing a few forms

(HIPAA information and acknowledgement, policies and procedures). But the bulk of

the time will be spent talking about what brought you in for counseling. The therapist will focus on hearing your story. There will be questions asked that are meant to better understand your particular struggle and situation. You will be free to ask any questions you may have as well. This is also a time to measure how comfortable this feels and if this is a good “fit” between you and the therapist. Generally speaking, the relationship between the therapist and the client is the most accurate predictor of success in the therapy. If the client and therapist like one another, and if the client feels respected and safe during therapy, the probability of experiencing success is high. By the end of your first session, you can expect some feedback from the therapist and both of you will agree on a “game plan” before the end of the session.

 

If you prefer, you may download and complete some of the forms ahead of time and bring to your first appointment. These can be found at: Forms & Resources.