Are you thinking about having your first counselling session? Here is a little about what to expect:
What is therapy and counselling?
Counselling is a type of therapy where you talk with a trained professional in confidence about any concerns you are experiencing.
Counselling helps you identify what you’d like to be different in your life and to develop strategies to address this.
If you’ve never had a counselling session, it is natural to feel nervous and wonder what will happen.
There is no issue that is too small to bring to counselling, if something feels like a problem, it will be valuable to talk about it.
I hope that this blog will help you feel more informed.
Counselling can help you cope with many life situations including: loss and bereavement, relationship difficulties, low self esteem, anxiety, depression, trauma, ill health.
What to expect in a first counselling session
I don’t expect you to tell me all about your whole life and circumstances in a first session. I will not ask lots of intrusive questions. I will encourage you to think about what you hope the sessions may help you with.
If you’re not sure where to begin I might ask you about any interest you have. Counselling and therapy is firstly about developing a therapeutic relationship. It takes time to feel comfortable with another person you don’t know.
I will respect that you may want to start with something that feels easier to talk about at the beginning. I will not push you to talk about anything you don’t want to talk about.
In our first session I will ask you what your hopes are for our work together. Don’t worry if you are not too sure, we can look at this together.
I will ask how you’re sleeping, and if you’ve been experiencing distressing thoughts.
I will ask about what support network is in place for you already. I will ask about your current emotional wellbeing and check for any risk.
There will be plenty of time for you to talk about what you feel ready to talk about. I like to start with what you feel most ready to explore. This can be situations or circumstances or feelings and thoughts.
The sessions are all about you and therapy offers a space where you can feel valued and accepted. You are offering yourself valuable self care.
You can start to hear yourself as I reflect back to you what I can hear you telling me about what is happening and what you would like to happen.
You may feel suprised about what you learn as you hear what your thoughts are. When you say what you’re thinking and have someone who is listening to you to understand. You will feel heard and emotionally supported.
People tell me they feel a release, that they feel heard and understood during the session. They appreciate feeling safe as they explore what’s been happening.
Sometimes you might ask for help with how to overcome unwanted thoughts and I have strategies that you can learn if you would like to.
I’ve been told by those I have worked with that their life has changed for the better after attending counselling sessions.
If you’d like to work with me, I offer a free 20 minute friendly chat on the phone for you to ask any questions and get a feel for what I’m like. You can email me if that feels easier: