I’m going to let you in on a secret. If you’re feeling anxious about contacting a counsellor for the first time, you are not alone! I remember feeling very anxious too.
If you’re struggling with confidence and feeling like you’ve lost your way in life, you want to do something positive that’s going to help you feel better, please read on. I’m going to help reassure you that seeing a counsellor for the first time isn’t as scary as it feels right now.
You've probably been thinking about going to counselling for a while, it’s a tricky decision with so many counsellors to choose from. And when you’ve made a decision, what next?
What actually happens in a first counselling session anyway? I’ll tell you.
After you’ve taken that first step and contacted me, you can expect me to get back to you within a few hours. We’ll agree on a day and time that suits us both for our first meeting and you decide whether you’d like to meet using video or the phone.
If we’re using video I’ll send you a link 10 minutes beforehand by email and then we can get comfy. It’s always good to be somewhere you feel comfortable and where you’re not going to be disturbed or overheard.
You’ll click on the link or answer the phone at the agreed time. So grab a drink and let’s meet.
Your heart is probably going a little faster than usual, it’s always a little nerve-racking meeting a new person isn’t it? You may have a bunch of worries in your head like “will I be judged?”, “will I talk too much?”, “what am I expected to say?”.
You may have been thinking about counselling for a long time and have lots to get off your chest, or you may be uncertain of how to start. All of these feelings are normal and natural. So let me try to lessen those fears.
I am looking forward to meeting you. I welcome you, whoever you are and whatever you want to talk about, it’s ok. I will welcome you with a smile and we can start to find out if I can help you.
I will assure you that everything you say is confidential apart from some safety or legal obligations I have (if you decide to continue with me I’ll send you my ‘Welcome Pack’ with all the details). I will invite you to talk a little about yourself and I’ll be there to listen to what has brought you to counselling.
We can talk about what you want from counselling and whether you feel you want just a few sessions at a crisis point in life, or whether it’s more that you’re struggling at the moment and you’re not sure why. Maybe you’ve had a difficult life event that you can’t move on from or you’re lacking confidence and can’t say no.
Whatever it is you’re struggling with I’m here to help you.
This first session is to help you decide if you think I am the right counsellor for you, so if you have any questions it’s a great time to ask.
When we finish our session it is up to you whether you’d like to book in another session or have a think and maybe contact me later. I will recommend you take a little time to gather yourself together before going back to your day.
Take the time to be kind to yourself, and well done. You have taken the first step. Hopefully it wasn’t as scary as you thought!
So I hope this has helped give you an idea on what a first session with me would be like, and reassure you that I am here to help and make you feel valued and listened to.
If you’re ready to do something positive to help yourself, contact me. I look forward to meeting you.