How to prepare for your first session with a psychologist
What to think about beforehand, which questions you can ask, and why you don't need to have everything figured out before your first session.
Psychologist for internationals
Therapy in English in The Hague
I help when anxiety, low mood or burnout start taking up too much of your life, and when life in a new country is harder than expected. Before you come, you know how the first session works and what it costs.
What I help with
Anxiety and stress
Constant worrying, tension in your body, avoiding things that used to feel ordinary.
Low mood and burnout
No energy or joy, tiredness that a weekend doesn't fix, the feeling that work takes everything.
Life in a new country
Homesickness, loneliness, a relationship under strain, building a life far from family and friends.
About me
I'm Julia Marsh, a psychologist trained in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).
I work with adults in my practice in The Hague and online. Most of my clients are internationals: expats, partners and people who came to the Netherlands to study or work.
In therapy, what matters most to me is that it's clear what we're doing and why.
The practice
Services and fees
Every session lasts 50 minutes. You pay per session, with no subscription and no packages upfront.
Introductory session
We get to know each other and decide together how to continue
€ 95
Session at the practice
In The Hague, usually once a week
€ 115
Online session
By video call, wherever you are
€ 115
Available times
Pick a time that suits you. On a real website this is the practice's own calendar, and your session is booked straight away.
Introductory session
50 minutes, in The Hague or online
Sample calendar. Clicking a time takes you to the contact form.
How to start
Book a session
Through the form or by phone. I reply within one working day.
Let's talk
You tell me what brings you, and I ask questions. You don't need to prepare.
Decide together
I tell you how we could work together. Whether you want to start is up to you. The first session commits you to nothing.
Questions before the first session
Do I need a referral from my GP?
No. This is a self-pay practice. You don't need a referral from your huisarts (GP), no diagnosis is sent to your insurer, and you pay per session. Some international health insurance plans cover therapy, so it's worth checking your policy.
Does everything I say stay between us?
Yes. I'm bound by professional confidentiality. The law has exceptions, for example when someone's life or health is in danger. I explain them at the start of the first session.
Is an online session as good as one in person?
It lasts as long and follows the same structure. You need a quiet place where nobody can overhear you, and a stable internet connection.
How many sessions will I need?
That depends on what brings you. After the introductory session I'll tell you what to expect, and during therapy we regularly check together whether it's helping.
From the blog
All posts
Psychologist, psychotherapist or psychiatrist? Getting help in the Netherlands
The difference between a psychologist, a psychotherapist and a psychiatrist, how the Dutch GP system works, and where to start when you're new here.
Online therapy. How to prepare for a session by video call
Practical tips for an online session: a quiet place, headphones, a stable connection and what to do if the call drops.
A conversation is a good place to start
In the 50-minute introductory session we get to know each other and see whether and how to continue.