What to expect from your first therapy session in Austin

Anxiety therapy Austin, Grief counseling Austin, TX

Therapy in Austin

So, you decided you needed therapy, you researched your options, you spoke with several therapists and you finally found the one that feels like the best fit for you - now what?

You are trying to figure out what you need and what to expect when you start seeing someone for therapy in Austin, TX. What will happen in the first session? How long will it take to start noticing a change and feeling better?

What will happen after you decide to schedule therapy in Austin?

The first step once the initial therapy session is scheduled is to complete your paperwork. All of my intake paperwork is virtual, so you will receive an email invitation to the HIPAA compliant portal (I use TherapyMate). There you will set up a login and password and complete all of the required forms that include demographics, background information, medical and psychiatric history, as well as questions about why you are coming to therapy and what your strengths and weaknesses are. There will be privacy policies, informed consent, insurance information and a Good Faith Estimate. So. Much. Paperwork.

What do you need to do to prepare for the first session?

Honestly, not too much. The first session consists of your therapist asking a lot of questions. Take a deep breath and allow the therapist to do most of the work - this time.

What happens in the first session?

We always start with safety. Once safety has been assessed, we’ll likely move on to why you are here today and what prompted you to make the call to start therapy. From there, we’ll review the intake information and clarify anything that seems like it might be important.

Will I have homework?

Maybe. This is really therapist, technique and you dependent. I like giving homework, but I have clients who absolutely refuse to do it and that’s ok too. Some people like to continue the work outside of the therapeutic hour while other’s prefer their therapy to be the time they work on this issue so that they don’t have to think about it during' “real life.”

When will I have my next session?

Hopefully the next week! I prefer weekly sessions. This allows us to continue working without having to use too much time to talk about what happened over the past two weeks or month. We can get right back to where we were when we wrapped up the session before.

What if I don’t like what happened in the first session or I am not sure it is a good match?

Talk about it! We don’t want to waste your time. If you feel like something was off, please let the therapist know. If it is something that is standard practice for them then maybe it’s not a great fit. If it is something they can adjust to allow for a more trusting relationship, they will. Communication is key!

I hope this helps you feel more confident going into your first therapy session in Austin. If you are still feeling stuck, feel free to call me at (512) 641-9528 for a free 15-minute phone consultation. If you are looking for help with anxiety or navigating the journey to motherhood, you can read more about how I can help here.

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