WHAT WILL MY FIRST COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY SESSION BE LIKE?
What Is an Intake Appointment?
Your first therapy session is often called an “intake appointment.” They tend to be longer than most therapy sessions. The longer length of your first meeting gives you more time to share your experiences with your therapist and your therapist enough time to start getting to know you. At TherLively, your therapist will reserve 80 minutes for your first therapy appointment.
The Best Way to Get Ready for Your Intake Appointment
Most therapists have paperwork that you’ll complete prior to your first therapy appointment. (That way you can focus your session time on getting to know each other.) Some forms might ask a little bit about what you’re experiencing to help guide your first appointment. Other handouts will go over basic information about therapy, clinic policies, etc. so that you’re well-informed about the logistics of the therapy process.
At TherLively, we give you the ability to complete your paperwork electronically before you meet with your therapist from the comfort of your own home. We appreciate the benefits of science, so we’ll also ask you to complete a couple short questionnaires about the symptoms you may or may not be experiencing. This allows us to track your change and growth over the course of therapy in a measurable way, backed by science. (We enjoy doing these same questionnaires again further along in your therapy journey, so you can see some of the fruit of your work in therapy.) If you have a primary care physician, see a psychiatrist or registered dietitian, or were referred to a specialist by a former therapist, then completing a release of information form before you meet with your therapist could help you to get a head start on therapy. Electronically signing a release of information allows your new therapist to communicate with other providers and coordinate with your team to aid in getting you the best help.
The best way to get ready for your first therapy appointment is to complete this electronic paperwork at least several days before your first therapy appointment. This gives your therapist time to thoroughly review the information you complete before you meet, and therefore to get the most out of your first meeting.
If your appointment is online, you might also consider logging into your first therapy appointment 5-10 minutes early. This gives you the chance to make sure your computer is charged, you have a strong internet connection, and your microphone and video are turned on. If your appointment is in person, planning to arrive 5-10 minutes early can give you a little cushion when you arrive somewhere new, and help you to start your first meeting more relaxed.
If you feel anxious about your first therapy session, that’s “normal” too.
Most people feel a little nervous before their first therapy session. However, most of the initial worries you might anticipate tend to decrease as you engage in therapy, even after your intake appointment. After your first appointment, you become more confident in knowing where to park or how to log into a virtual appointment. (At TherLively, you’ll be emailed a fresh, secure link about 15 minutes before online appointments that you can click to log into virtual meetings. Click here for tips on getting the most out of online therapy sessions.) Furthermore, you tend to get more comfortable discussing new topics with your therapist as you get to know them. The more that you build a solid relationship with your therapist, the more you tend to feel comfortable trusting them and see how helpful therapy can be.
What questions will my therapist ask me in my first session?
Therapists tends to ask more questions during the first session in effort to understand your experiences and how they can be helpful to you. This means, you’ll probably do more of the talking in your first meeting. However, you don’t have to answer any questions that you don’t want to answer. If you’re not yet ready to answer a particular question, you can let your therapist know. They want to be helpful to you, and sometimes that means slowing down the pace.
You might be curious about the kinds of questions your therapist will ask you during your first session.
Common questions in your first therapy session:
☼ What brings you to therapy at this time?
☼ Have you been in therapy before, or is this your first time?
☼ What does a typical day look like for you?
☼ Tell me about your health history.
☼ Tell me a little bit about your friends and family.
☼ Are there any recent changes or stressors going on in your life?
☼ What would you like to get out of therapy?
☼ What strengths do you see in yourself?
Wrapping up your first therapy session:
After your therapist has gotten to know more about you and what you’re experiencing, they will often share their initial impressions toward the end of your first therapy appointment. They’ll likely discuss your goals for therapy and make recommendations to help you reach them. Your therapist will also give you another chance to ask questions you might have about therapy or working together. If time allows, they may even give you an action step to start before your next appointment, or handout to read to learn more about what you’re experiencing, to get a jump start.
At the end of your first session, you’ll usually discuss scheduling your next appointment so you can get started on moving toward your goals.
Ready to request an intake appointment?
If you’re interested in starting to work with a psychologist in Southlake, TX (in-person or online) at TherLively, please visit our contact page and complete a therapy interest form by clicking below.
