Starting therapy can be scary or intimidating, but if you’ve decided to start individual counseling, the first step is congratulating yourself on reaching out for help. From there, it’s helpful to prepare yourself for that initial appointment into something you haven’t explored before. Be sure to take advantage of these tips for a successful first individual counseling appointment.
- Think about your goals for therapy. Everyone starts counseling for a different reason. Before your first appointment, think about what your goals are and what you want to get out of therapy. Doing so will help you be open and honest with your counselor about what you’re looking for, which helps them provide you with the best and most effective care possible.
- Be open to change. Counseling doesn’t seek to change who you are, but it does help push you through what can be uncomfortable changes. Be open to challenging yourself in unexpected ways and trying new strategies for healing and growth.
- Make a list of important topics to discuss. Many people have gotten to their therapy appointment and forgotten what it was that they wanted to talk about. If you’re worried this may happen to you, make a list before your first appointment of the main things that you want to cover so that you don’t worry about leaving anything out.
- Prepare yourself for emotions. Individual counseling is meant to be a constructive and healing process, and oftentimes, this can be emotional. There’s no shame in feeling emotional while talking about life events and struggles, but if getting emotional in front of someone else isn’t something you’re too experienced with, prepare yourself for doing so.
Book now to start your therapy journey with one of our highly qualified counselors.