What to Expect Your First Therapy Session

Knowing what to expect when starting something new, like therapy, can help with managing first time anxiety. While most therapists follow similar protocol, here is what you can expect in particular after you schedule your first session at Strayer Counseling, LLC.

1.) You'll receive an email with several documents to read and sign, along with one general questionnaire.

These documents take between 15-30 minutes depending on how much time you

spend reading and filling out the questionnaire. The documents include informed

consent, practice policies, demographic form, and release of information. These

documents do not need to be filled out right away; however, they do need to be

completed prior to the start time of your first session in order for us to be able to meet.

2.) You'll either receive a video link via email prior to the session time for telehealth, or you will sign in at the front desk and wait in the waiting room if we are meeting in person.

Ideally, I try to send out the link for telehealth the day of session so that you do not

have to go in search of the email to find the link. Depending on the time of session, you

may not receive the link until a few minutes beforehand. When you click on the link, it

will send you to the virtual waiting room. I will add you into the meeting once I see that

you have joined.

Strayer Counseling is located at 4030 Smith Road, Suite 200 near Rookwood Commons.

There is an I-pad on the receptionist's desk that you can sign in at that will alert me that

you are in the waiting room. There will be water, coffee, and tea available as you wait

and restrooms in the hallway. If we are meeting after hours, I will make sure you have

my phone number, and you can call me if there are any issues with getting into the

building as sometimes the doors are locked later in the evening.

3.) Once we are in the session, I will start off by going over paperwork and informed consent.

I like to get the nitty-gritty info out of the way first. We will go over informed consent,

including confidentiality, my credentials and training, and the process of treatment.

The first session tends to feel much different than future sessions because it is primarily

focused on gathering information. Something I will also go over is that this time is for

you. The therapeutic relationship is one of the most important pieces of success in

therapy. With that, if you feel that we are not a good fit or that we are not using the

time the way you would like (for example: we are spending too much time talking about

skills, and you prefer spending that time processing), please let me know! If it's

something easy we can adapt, we will. If it is more of us not being a great fit, I'd rather

know and give you referrals for someone who may work better for you.

4.) Now it's your turn!

After going over informed consent/confidentiality, we will go into what has brought you

into therapy. I will ask some background information questions, such as who you live

with at home, your mental health past history, etc. I understand that I am basically a

stranger at this point too. So please feel free to share as much or as little as you'd like

that first session.

5.) After 50 minutes, we wrap up

I'll make sure to prompt us when we are nearing the end of session so we can wrap up

all you wanted to discuss. After, we can schedule another appointment if you'd like, and

then we'll be done with our first appointment together.