What To Expect in Your First Therapy Session

Posted: May 6, 2025

Therapy in Middlebury, CT
Therapy in Southbury, CT

Taking the first step towards therapy is a big deal, and it's completely normal to feel a mix of emotions before your first meeting. Our goal is to make sure you feel heard, supported, and informed from the very beginning. Here's a breakdown of what to expect for your first therapy session:

1. Fill out intake paperwork

Whether you're meeting in person at our Middlebury or Southbury offices or connecting through telehealth, your therapist will start by making sure you feel at ease. To make sure your first visit can be focused on your therapeutic goals, our office staff will send you paperwork to fill out beforehand including:

Confidentiality and consent forms
General intake forms about your medical and mental health history
Insurance and payment details, if applicable
Office and practice policies
Optional: self rating symptom scores, for your provider to review during your visit

This part of starting your therapy journey will likely feel familiar and comparable to visiting the doctor's office. To best prepare, have your insurance details and any relevant medical history ready.

2. Gather background and history

No matter which of our therapists you work with, the goal of every initial session is to understand how we can best support you, and understanding what brought you to therapy is key. Your therapist will ask questions like:

Have you ever been in therapy before? What was the experience like?
Do you have any past or current mental health concerns?

During this "get-to-know-you" section, you can also expect your therapist to ask other related questions about your history, including your childhood and family, and your present life, such as your career or living situation.

All of this information helps your therapist get a fuller picture of life so we can uniquely tailor our approach to you. You can come prepared with notes on what you wish to share with your therapist as well. The intake process has several questions, and while it might feel difficult to talk about your past history and current symptoms, please know this is to assess how your provider can best help you, including what treatment modality might be best for you, and at what pace. This is a good time to let your therapist know what you wish to work on in therapy. If you are unsure of what you want to work on, that is okay! Many people come to us with multiple symptoms and concerns, all of which can be addressed. Your therapist can help you identify what might be a priority to you, and in what order it might be helpful to address your concerns.

3. Explore your concerns and therapy goals

While it certainly isn't easy opening up to someone new, being as honest as possible at this stage can make a meaningful difference in your wellness journey. Your therapist will ask about what's bringing you to therapy and what you hope to gain from it.

Some common questions include:

What are the biggest challenges you're facing right now?
Are there specific emotions, behaviors, or thoughts that are troubling you?
How is your mental health affecting your daily life, relationships, or work?
What would progress or success in therapy look like for you?

There's no pressure to know your goals right now or have any of this figured out just yet. This is simply a starting point for your journey, and most importantly, your therapist is there to guide you along the way.

4. Discuss therapy approaches and treatment options

At this point in the conversation, your therapist will have gathered enough background and information to begin discussing approaches that may be helpful for you. Whether it's talk therapy, EMDR for trauma, IFS, CBT, or holistic techniques like mindfulness, we'll begin figuring out what treatment (or combination) would treat you best. You can ask your therapist questions about each option and together, we'll explore what feels right for you. We are very dedicated to ensuring that your treatment plan options are unique to you, so it is not unusual to combine treatment modalities, and work at a pace that works for you and your symptoms and history. Please know at any time you can let your therapist know if you don't feel a treatment is working for you. There are many options to choose from, and not every modality is right for everyone! You are a unique individual, and it is our goal that you feel that therapy is completely tailored to you.

5. Answer questions and decide next steps

A lot of information has been exchanged at this point, and we want our clients to feel empowered to make sure any concerns they have are addressed, and goals are clear. You will have time to ask any questions such as:

What happens if therapy or my therapist isn't the right fit?
How often are sessions?
What's telehealth like compared to in-person therapy?

From here, we'll outline a plan for your treatment, ensuring you feel supported and confident in your next steps. Remember, healing takes time, and it isn't linear. We will work together through the ups and downs and changes. Just know, you are supported no matter what, just as you are, and we believe you can achieve a better quality of life- and you deserve a better quality of life!

Start therapy in Middlebury, CT, and Southbury, CT, with confidence

Whether you're seeking support for anxiety, depression, ADHD, trauma, chronic illness, grief, caregiver support, life transitions, or are a fellow healthcare provider, we're here to help. For those in the Middlebury and Southbury areas, we offer in-person therapy and telehealth services.

Reach out to us today to take the first step towards healing. We're here for you.