What Questions Should I Ask During My First Therapy Session?

What To Expect From Your First Therapy Session

Therapy is an effective way to address negative thoughts, behaviors, and symptoms that interfere with your quality of life. Through professional therapy, you can learn how to cope better, build stronger relationships, and handle life’s challenges.

Scheduling your first therapy session takes plenty of courage, so it’s helpful to know what to expect so that you can prepare and get the most out of it.

• When you attend your first therapy session, you will need to complete paperwork and likely wait in a waiting room, just as you would for any other medical appointment.
• During the first part of your initial session, you and your therapist will spend some time getting to know each other.
• Then, you will establish your needs or the goals and changes you’d like to occur due to therapy.

You may also discuss what you have done in the past to address your mental health and strategies that may or may not have worked.

Questions You Might Ask Your Therapist

Therapists do not enter into sessions with a specific agenda in mind. A therapist’s job is to provide you with a safe space to decide what you’d like to discuss. Your first counseling session questions should include those pertaining to their specialty, methodology, and practice. Their answers will help you determine whether they are a good fit for you.

“How long have you been in practice?”

It’s always a good idea to get a feel for how long your counselor has been practicing because it allows you to gain more insight into their specific experience with various issues. You can also determine whether they can handle your situation or if you should look for a different therapist to work with.

“How often should we meet?”

Your therapist may not have a good answer for this question until the end of your session, as they need to understand why you are seeking therapy and the unique circumstances of your situation. After they provide their recommendation, you can determine how frequently you can attend counseling based on your finances, needs, and other obligations.

“What are your therapeutic methodologies?”

Understanding how your counselor approaches therapy can help you determine whether their style aligns well with your needs and preferences. If you are interested in a specific type of therapy, such as cognitive behavior therapy or dialectical behavior therapy, this would be an appropriate time to ask. You can also assess whether they provide evidence-based treatment or use a time-limited approach.

“Can you help me achieve the goals I’d like to achieve?”

Be honest with what you’d like to get out of therapy. Your goals can include increasing self-confidence, learning better coping mechanisms for difficult emotions, or improving your communication skills.

“Will we be a good fit?”

Your connection with your therapist will be important in determining whether you will succeed in meeting your therapeutic goals. Your therapist should be candid in whether they think they are the right provider to meet your needs. While you may wait until the end of your first session to ask this question, you can get a pretty good feel for whether they have the experience necessary to handle your unique circumstances.

“Is counseling the best way to address my needs?”

With the information you provide your counselor throughout your first meeting, they should have a good idea of whether or not therapy will be the best way to meet your needs and help you achieve your desired goals. Some other ways to help you determine if counseling can meet your needs is to consider whether their scheduling works for you and if they can make any accommodations to best suit your circumstances.

“What are my payment options?”

Because counseling can be expensive if you don’t have insurance coverage, you should also ask your therapist if they provide payment options. They may require income or insurance verification. Sliding scale payments or payment plans can help make counseling more affordable.

What Questions Do Therapists Ask in the First Session

Many first timers want to know what questions therapists may ask in the first session. Therapists often intentionally ask open-ended questions, allowing you to provide the level of detail you’d like to offer.

Some of the most commonly asked questions include:

• “What brings you here today?” This question helps you reflect on your reasons for starting therapy and establishes your expectations for subsequent sessions.
• “Have you ever seen a therapist before?” This is your counselor’s way to gain better insight into your previous experiences with therapy. This information helps them tailor your specific treatment plan to your needs.
• “What do you feel is the biggest problem?” Your answer to this question helps your therapist gain insight into your current perspective on your challenges.
• “How does this problem make you feel?” Feelings can be very complex. This question allows you to further examine your emotions and become aware of how there may be several facets to your feelings.
• “What positive changes would you like to occur?” Your answer to this question gives your therapist insight into your feelings and experiences and encourages you to share additional information.
• “What do you expect to happen from this process?” By discovering your therapy expectations, your counselor can better understand your perspective and help you set realistic goals.

Remember, each therapist is different, and they may use differing approaches to guide each session toward your treatment goals.

Choosing Between Online and In-Person Therapy

While in-person therapy remains the primary method of counseling, online therapy is quickly becoming a viable option for many. Understanding the similarities and differences between these options can help you decide which form of therapy is right for you.

Online Therapy: The Pros and Cons

There are several reasons why people choose virtual therapy instead of in-person counseling sessions. For example, online counseling makes it possible to meet with your therapist without leaving home. There are also multiple methods for online therapy, including phone calls, video conferencing, and text messaging. When you meet from the comfort of your home, you may be better able to cope during difficult conversations. Additionally, you don’t have to risk someone seeing you walk into a therapist’s office if you are worried about treatment confidentiality.

However, receiving empathy can be more difficult when you’re not in the same room as your therapist. Technology problems may impede appointments, which can lead to rescheduling. Some clients may also not be a good fit for online therapy, including those who are experiencing more severe mental health issues or who are at a higher risk of suicide.

The Advantages and Disadvantages of In-Person Therapy

Traditional, in-person therapy is an established format of mental health treatment, and many people find it easier to connect with their counselor and form a therapeutic alliance with them when meeting face-to-face. By utilizing in-person therapy, you may experience various treatment modalities that are not possible through online treatment, including movement-based therapy or eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). Therapists can also better pick up on non-verbal cues as indicators of how you are feeling.

Although there are benefits to in-person therapy, there are also drawbacks that some clients may experience. For some people, sitting in a waiting room can trigger feelings of social anxiety, especially if there are other clients present. Getting to in-person appointments can be difficult, especially if you live in a rural area. Certain mental health conditions like agoraphobia can also make it more challenging to attend in-person therapy sessions.

If you feel that working with your therapist will be a positive experience after your first session and you decide to continue, you will agree on a date and time for your next appointment.

The Most Important Thing Is To Be Open

Even if your first therapy session was emotionally challenging, you should walk away from it feeling like you’re moving in the right direction.

If your therapy experience isn’t what you thought it would be at the end of your first session, let your therapist know. By being honest with them, you’ll be able to get the most out of therapy and feel more comfortable about the process.