How to prepare for your first session with a psychologist

The short answer: you don't need to prepare. The first session is for getting to know each other, and I'll guide it with questions. If you'd like to walk in feeling calmer, though, these things help.

Write down what brings you

A few sentences are enough. What's going on, since when, in which situations it's harder. Nerves make it easy to forget something important, and a note in your pocket helps.

Think about what you'd like to change

It doesn't have to be a plan. Sometimes the answer is "I want to sleep better" or "I want to stop dreading every meeting at work". A goal like that helps us decide where to start.

Bring your questions

You have every right to know who you're talking to. You could ask about:

• my training and how I work,
• what therapy looks like and how often we'd meet,
• confidentiality and its limits,
• fees and cancelling.

If you don't know what to say

That's completely normal. Many people start with "I don't know where to begin". It's a good beginning, and we'll take it from there together.