What happens in your first therapy session?

Starting therapy can be a significant step in your journey toward better mental health and well-being. If you’ve chosen Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), you might be wondering what your first session will look like. Here’s a detailed overview of what to expect during that initial meeting, helping to ease any anxiety you may have.

Getting to Know Each Other: We’ll start with some introductions to help you feel at ease. It’s important that you feel comfortable sharing your thoughts and feelings.

Understanding Your Concerns: I’ll ask you some questions about your background and the specific issues you want to work on. This helps me understand your experiences and how they affect you.

Setting Goals: Together, we’ll talk about what you hope to achieve through therapy. Whether it’s managing anxiety, coping with a long-term condition, or changing certain thought patterns, we’ll set clear goals to guide our work together.

Learning About CBT: I’ll explain what Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is and how it works. We’ll discuss how our thoughts, feelings, and behaviours are interconnected, and how we can address these to improve your well-being.

Identifying Patterns: We’ll begin to explore specific thoughts or behaviours that may be contributing to your difficulties. This will involve some guided discussions to help bring awareness to these patterns.

Homework: I may suggest some exercises or activities for you to try between sessions. This could include keeping a journal of your thoughts or practicing new coping strategies.

Wrapping Up: At the end of the session, we’ll summarize what we’ve discussed and plan our next steps. I’ll also provide any resources that might be helpful for you.

Remember, this is a collaborative process, and I’m here to support you every step of the way. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to ask!"