What to expect from your first online therapy session
You’re ready to start therapy to take the next step toward inner peace, healing trauma, and learning skills to quiet your anxiety.
The first therapy session can feel intimidating! Even after a 15 minute consultation, do you really know what to expect?
You know this is the right direction for you. Anxiety therapy or trauma therapy is your next step. You are trying to figure out what you need and what to expect if you start seeing someone for online therapy in California. 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?
We’ll schedule our therapy sessions at a time that’s going to work for you every week. Next, you’ll get an email from me asking you to fill out some forms. These forms include informed consent, my policies and procedures, and HIPAA privacy notices. You’ll also get a longer intake form that asks about your personal information including your history and present issues. We can’t have our first session until everything is completed, so make sure you get them done as soon as you can!
What do you need to do to prepare for the first session?
Some people find it helpful to take notes to make sure we talk about everything that’s important to you. I will also read through the information you wrote in the intake form. It’s normal to feel nervous, and it’s okay to let me know if there are any topics you don’t want to dig into right away. Otherwise, all you need to do is to show up!
What happens in the first session?
In our first meeting, I’m trying to get a general picture of what’s going on for you. I might ask some clarifying questions, get details, and go into the history of the problem. I’ll ask about your family history, relational dynamics, and how you get along with family now. In all, my goal for the first session is to get a good understanding of what’s going wrong. Then we’ll work together to create a plan for how you want things to change.
Will I have homework?
Yep! Therapy is just one hour a week, so you’ll get the best results if you are able to take what we’ve discussed in session and find a practical way to apply it to your life during the next week. Making small changes over time will help you create the transformation you’re looking for.
When will I have my next session?
I schedule sessions weekly. In general, your sessions will be at the same day and time every week. If you need to make changes, we’ll discuss possible alternatives. But if you’re not able to commit to a regular day and time for sessions, therapy with me may not be a good fit for you right now.
What if I don’t like what happened in the first session or I am not sure it is a good match?
Since the first session is very different to other sessions, I’ll encourage you to give it a few more sessions to see how they go for you. It can take a few sessions to start to feel comfortable with therapy. If you’re still not feeling it after several sessions, let’s talk about it! I’m always open to changing things up or trying a different approach to see what works best for you. And if it’s just not a good fit, talking about what’s not working will help me get a better sense of what you need so I can give you referrals to other therapists who might work better for you.
I know that’s a lot!
I hope this has answered some of your questions and helped give you a little taste of what your first online anxiety therapy or trauma therapy session will look like.
Online psychotherapy in California can help transform your relationships with yourself and others. I’m here to help you explore your inner world, create new patterns in your relationships, and escape the uncomfortable and unhelpful thought spirals that your anxiety and trauma create.
I hope this helps you find the right therapist for online therapy in California. If you are still feeling stuck, feel free to call me at (831) 531-2259 for a free 15 minute video consultation. I’d be happy to hear about what is happening and help direct you to the right person. If you are looking for help with grieving a loss, you can read more about how I can help here.