It is quite a stressful situation when you are on the hunt to find the right kind of therapy or a therapist, and even more nerve-wracking when you finally have to visit your assigned counsellor. But one must remember that it’s completely normal to feel that way because, after all, you will be sharing some deep emotions and thought processes that you may find difficult to share with your close friends, let alone a therapist who you are meeting for the first time.
However, there is no hard or fast rule on how a therapy session works, as most times the sessions are tailored according to the patient’s preference or treatment. Each therapist has their own niche and techniques to create a safe space for their clients so that they can build their trust and open up to them more freely about the problems and traumas they are facing. If you are a first-timer and you are seeking to know how therapy works during the initial stages, here are some excerpts from people sharing their experiences during their first sessions and what to expect.
"So for my first therapy session, I wasn’t asked personal questions, but more or less, addressed what I was feeling at that point of time and how to work on it," said Soumya Susan, 24. She stated how she was given a questionnaire prior to the session, which had questions based on her feelings and why she was feeling a certain way. She also mentioned how the questionnaire had important disclaimers to be taken into account, that is if she felt that the contents of the interview were dangerous or if she felt uncomfortable at any given point of time, another therapist would be assigned to her. "I feel that ultimately, a therapist shouldn’t be imposing their suggestions and opinions on you, but rather only assisting you on your journey to make yourself feel better," she said.
Similarly, Jesly Pulikotil also shared a similar experience. She used to initially believe that seeking therapy was an extreme case scenario situation. "Once my first session began, my attitude gradually changed." "I think anyone and everyone can seek therapy as it puts you in a better place," she said. She also spoke about how she expected her first session to be extremely intimidating. I was expecting deep, intimidating, personal questions to be thrown at me. However, that did not seem to be the case. My therapist and his assistant made sure that I was comfortable opening up to him at all times and would let go of certain questions, but would bring them back when I was feeling comfortable answering them. " She also emphasised how her therapist would stop a session at any point in time if she was feeling uncomfortable at any point in time. "Since I’m interested in crafts and arts, my therapist encouraged me to vocalise what I was feeling through my hobbies and not make a verbal exchange through and through," she said.
As mentioned earlier, therapists focus on creating a safe space and prioritise making their clients feel comfortable at all times. Lubhanshi Nahar, a counselling psychologist at PeakMind, explains how therapists do not always expect you to open up about your problems right away. They focus on how to establish a relationship between the two. "The first session with a new therapist can be overwhelming and scary. Most people think that they need to know exactly what to say or what "problem" to talk about in the very first session, but that's honestly pretty far from the truth. Therapists don't expect you to open up and tell them your life story in the first session. She said. "They'll accept it if it happens on its own, of course, but if it doesn't, we're perfectly willing to be patient and build a relationship with our clients."
When asked what a first-timer should prepare before their first session, she shared some important questions to keep in mind before you progress with your session. "The first session usually involves a very basic get-to-know-each-other conversation. You don't have to do anything to prepare for it except come into it with an open mind and heart if that's possible. No matter what issue you're going to therapy for, your therapist will spend some time helping you get comfortable in that setting before they try to probe and explore your concerns. We do not expect our clients to trust us without giving them a chance to get to know us a little bit first," she said.
"But if you do want to prepare for a session, you can write down some things in advance or think of them and keep them in your head before your session. You can ask yourself these questions and align your thoughts accordingly.
-What are your expectations/goals from therapy?
-What are the therapist's qualifications and how can they help you, specifically?
-What are some of the issues you would like to explore or talk about in the upcoming sessions?
-Is there anything the therapist should know about at the get-go, like your triggers or sensitive subjects? Any topics they should avoid?
- If you are suicidal or have self-harming tendencies, it's better to let the therapist know at the beginning." she explained.
She also emphasised how therapists are aware that beginners do feel nervous before their first session begins, but they prioritize finding a way to help them overcome it. " Please do know that it's okay to feel a little overwhelmed or uncomfortable in the first session or even the first few sessions. However, if you feel uncomfortable with greater intensity or if you feel distressed by something they say or do, you can let them know and/or choose a different therapist," she said.
Now that you have gotten some insights on what to expect for your first session, we hope that you would feel a lot less nervous and begin your journey to healing.
留言