What to Expect in Your First Therapy Session: A Gentle Guide

Starting therapy can feel like opening a door without knowing what’s on the other side. Maybe you’re nervous, curious, guarded, or exhausted — or all of the above. That’s okay. Your first therapy session isn’t about being “fixed” or having the perfect words. It’s about arriving.

In this first session, I’ll invite you to share what brings you in. Sometimes it’s a life transition, a relationship rupture, or a persistent sense of not feeling okay. Other times, it might be something more clinical — a recent diagnosis of anxiety, ADHD, or a mood disorder, or perhaps you're seeking clarity and understanding through a diagnostic assessment. Whether you come with clarity or confusion, it’s all welcome. There’s no need to prepare a speech. This is a space to slow down, explore, and simply be.

Therapy isn’t about saying everything at once. It’s about expressing what wants to come through, and gradually sinking into what matters most. Often, just the act of putting something into words — of being witnessed gently and without judgment — is in itself profoundly therapeutic. And yes, as we begin to understand your needs together, we’ll explore strategies and tools to support you along the way.

In humanistic and relational approaches, this session is also a chance for the therapist to introduce themselves — not just in terms of professional background, but as a human being. You’ll get a sense of how I work, and together we can talk through what the next steps of a therapeutic process might look like for you: the pace, the structure, and the kind of support that feels meaningful.

We’ll also go over essential ethical and legal foundations — not in a cold or bureaucratic way, but as part of creating a space where you can feel safe and protected. As a registered psychologist, I’m bound by professional standards that exist to support your wellbeing: from how your personal information is stored, to the consistency and boundaries of our work together. These aren’t just formalities — they are part of the therapeutic frame that helps build trust and transparency from the very beginning.

Most importantly, you’ll be received not to be assessed, but to be truly seen — held in a space that honours your truth, not measures it. I don’t place myself in a fixed label, and I certainly won’t place one on you. Therapy isn’t about fitting into a box — it’s about unfolding. Like a kaleidoscope, your inner world is allowed to be fluid, shifting, complex, and full of unexpected colours. This space honours that — with warmth, presence, and curiosity.

And because of that, it becomes a space for genuine creation. I don’t believe we’re here just to discover who you are — but, more importantly, to create who you are.