What To Expect In Your First Therapy Session
What To Expect In Therapy?
Therapy can be transformative and essential to the healing process. But it can also be intimidating or confusing when starting the therapeutic process for the first time. In recent years seeking help has become less taboo and more encouraged. The purpose of therapy is to work collaboratively with a therapist in navigating challenges in life, exploring emotions, coping with difficult experiences, and ultimately living a fulfilled life. In this blog we will explore an overview of what you could expect in therapy while also providing you with some skills to gain the confidence in your decision to get started.
Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.
What even is therapy?
Therapy is not a place to receive ‘advice’ or a place to ‘vent’. Yes, there is talking. But unlike venting to friends and family and receiving a temporary form of relief you want to be able to dig deeper with a trained professional. The purpose of therapy is to gain skills and tools to better process and navigate through your emotions, challenges, and experiences.
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, ‘Therapists can help someone better understand and cope with thoughts, feelings and behaviors. They can also offer guidance and help improve a person’s ability to achieve life goals. These mental health professionals may also help assess and diagnose mental health conditions.’ Therapists do not prescribe medication. Unlike therapists, psychiatrists have the ability to prescribe and monitor medication. There are different variations in mental health professionals in every state. But below are a list of mental health professionals with their abbreviations:
LPC, Licensed Professional Counselor
LMFT, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
LCADAC, Licensed Clinical Alcohol & Drug Abuse Counselor
LICSW, Licensed Independent Social Workers
LCSW, Licensed Clinical Social Workers
ACSW, Academy of Certified Social Workers
What happens in a session?
Okay, now that you have a better understanding of what therapy is, we can explore what happens in the sessions. The therapist will most likely spend the first few sessions getting to know you, your history, family dynamics, mental health history, stressors, coping skills etc. Through this process the therapist is building rapport, also known as ‘getting to know you’. This will create a healthy client counselor relational experience so that you feel a sense of comfort and safety.
A Safe and Confidential Space
Before getting started your therapist will most likely go through confidentiality with you. Confidentiality is one of the most vital parts of counseling. In order to trust your counselor you must first feel safe and secure in your privacy and safety. Confidentiality means that without your expressed written consent no one has access to your health care notes or any information pertaining to your therapeutic history with the therapist. Therapists may maintain confidentiality by not leaving revealing information via email, voicemail, or any other forms of communication. Therapists will also not disclose to outside parties that you are in therapy. Nor discuss the contents of therapy with a third party.
There are exceptions to confidentiality:
If you are in grave danger to yourself or someone else your therapist will break confidentiality in order to provide you or others with the necessary resources.
Anytime a therapist suspects a vulnerable population is at risk such as a child, elder, or dependent adult.
Or If a court of law issues a legitimate subpoena for information stated on the subpoena.
With maintaining strict confidentiality, the therapist is always upholding trust by maintaining a safe space for their clients. Keeping in mind that confidentiality may look different for someone who is under the age of 18, and under a guardian.
Active Listening and Empathy
Unlike family and friends, therapists are trained to empathetically and actively listen, and try to hear your perspective from an unbiased point of view. They are meant to provide a nonjudgmental space where you are able to share your emotions, experiences, and behaviors. When the judgment or the bias is taken out of the discussion you are able to safely explore your thoughts and feelings in depth.
Therapeutic Relationship
Like any relationship you have to feel a sense of safety and comfort. This may be something new, maybe you've never truly experienced a healthy relationship, maybe you struggle with building relationships, maybe trauma has made it difficult to trust others.
The importance of the therapeutic relationship is vital in order for therapy to properly unfold. The collaboration that takes place in the therapeutic process is foundational for therapy to work.
This relationship is different then other relationships because as a trained professional therapist are required to follow an ethical standard, listen intentionally, and utilizing a collaborative approach with their clients in order to achieve mental health goals.
Different Types of Therapy
Not all therapy is the same for everyone. Everyone has a different preference. When first starting therapy you probably wont know what your preference is but here are a few of the main utilized therapy approaches, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), psychodynamic therapy, and interpersonal therapy. The best therapy approach for you is based on your own individual needs and goals. Explored therapy approaches with your potential therapist and don't shy away from asking questions.
What Happens In Between Sessions
One hour a week is a great start to focusing time on your mental health. But eventually the goal is the process outside of therapy and creating self reliance. Therapists will work with you to create a treatment plan and create treatment goals. This may include implementing gained skills in your day-to-day life. The purpose of learning new coping skills is so that you are able to utilize them outside of the therapy session. This can come with challenges but it can also come with so much growth. A therapist will provide you with the support and accountability that is needed when applying something new into your life.
Overall, therapy can be rewarding and essential for your overall healing journey. So much can happen when collaborating with a therapist in a safe and confidential space, experiencing empathy, active listening, in a healthy therapeutic relationship. Keeping in mind that not all therapy and therapists fit for everyone. But by better understanding your own needs and preferences you are able to find yourself in the therapy that best serves your overall well being.
