What to expect from your first counseling session in Houston

Ok, you finally did it! You did the searches, perhaps you spoke with a few different counselors and you’ve made your decision and scheduled an appointment, so what now? What is that first session going to look like?

It’s normal to be a little anxious or feel a little awkward in your first few sessions. This tends to slowly subside as you get more comfortable with the flow of therapy and build rapport with your therapist.

What will happen in the first session? How long will it take to start noticing change and feeling better?

What will happen after you decide to schedule?

Prior to getting started with the sessions, there will be some forms that will need to be filled out, these usually include things like informed consent, contact information, and some information about your past history. If you are using insurance, we will also need to find out your benefits prior to starting the sessions.

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

Since I use a HIPAA-secure electronic health record, I will send you information on how to set that up before our session and request that you find a private space where you can do your counseling session.

What happens in the first session?

In the first counseling session, I may review some of the information you provided beforehand, ask more questions about your current circumstances, and your history, and work with you to start identifying what goals you may want to work towards.

Will I have homework?

Yes and no. I find giving homework is not a “one size fits all” approach, so I prefer to discuss this with you during our sessions.

When will I have my next session?

I tend to work with clients weekly, so would suggest weekly scheduling in the beginning. As things progress we can evaluate together whether or not to spread out our sessions.

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

I encourage you to let me know your thoughts on how the session went and whether you find it helpful. If it turns out that it is not a good fit, I’ll do my best to provide you with other resources.

 Remember, trying something new can often make us feel a little nervous, but hopefully, some of the questions above have given you a little more information on what your first counseling session could look like.

If you are still unsure about finding a therapist in Houston, feel free to call me at (281) 858-3325 for a free 15-minute phone consultation. I’d be happy to answer your questions about online therapy or help direct you to the right person.