Your First Visit

Your first visit, while very important, should not be what you base your beliefs about therapy on. During your first visit, your therapist is going to have you complete paperwork, sign treatment plans, and get a full bio-psycho-social history on you so that they can plan your treatment. They will ask a lot of questions, and you may not get to talk a lot about your presenting problem. Once the therapist gets a clear picture of your history and what is happening, they are ready to begin with you.

Building Trust Takes Time

Therapists and their clients usually take a few weeks to get to know each other. The next few sessions, I usually ask questions that help me learn my client’s interests and beliefs. What they invest their time in and what they find problematic about their routine. True change starts to begin when the client builds “rapport” with the therapist and trust develops.

The Journey of Change

Gradually over time, you will begin to see your problem begin to fade as your therapist presents new ways for you to cope and relate to your problem. You will have moments of insight, and begin to notice your relationship with others change as well.

A Gift to Yourself

Therapy is something everyone should do for themselves at some point in their lives. It could really help you!