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When starting a new therapeutic journey, my clients often wonder where to start and what to expect. I always encourage them to spend a few minutes reading this article as a way to get comfortable with my initial approach and learn more about what is going to happen during our first three sessions together.
It’s always tempting for a client to want to walk into the first session with a problem and the expectation of walking out with a solution.
It’s helpful to think about the beginning of our relationship in terms of our first three sessions together since that is where we will build the foundation for our work. During the first session, we will go over all of your intake forms and set some ground rules on how we will manage our time together. You can expect me to talk very little and listen a lot during this first session as I’ll be working hard to understand where you are coming from and start to form some ideas as to where we can go. Our second session will take a bit longer than a normal session as we will need time to go over what I heard from you and explore some options to move forward and setting expectations. Starting with our third session, after a brief discussion around the commitments we are both making , we will get to work.
Trust plays a key role in any relationship and is a particularly important ingredient for counseling to be effective. Trust takes time to develop and it’s important to understand that our work together will grow in strength as trust deepens.
Together we will navigate a journey that will be filled with ups and downs . I’ve walked with many clients through this journey and there are always points along the way where the future seems uncertain and times when the future looks very bright. There will come a day when you want to give up and day a when you feel better than you ever thought you could! Many clients benefit from understanding how most people progress through the ups and downs of the theraputic process.
!Every person I work with is wonderfully made and very unique. Each of us trust, share, and take risks at our own page. I have; however, noticed some commonalities in that there are several “danger zones” along the way. While expectations are wonderful, there is a risk in the first few months that you may feel the bar is too high and you’ll never make it. Remember that my goal is to see you achieve yours!
Therapy is work … hard work at times, and there is always the period of time where it is truly “darkest before the dawn.” During this period of time, there is a good chance you might feel like giving up.
You might also be surprised that many people who decide to stick with counseling for several months, and start noticing life change and feeling much better, have a tendency to stop a bit too soon. Noticeable change often signals that sustainable change are just around the corner.
I’m looking forward to meeting you during your initial consultation and excited about the opportunity to guide you through this journey. Be sure to check out my other blog articles and follow me on Facebook or Instagram for ongoing updates and helpfull and inspiring content.