Your first session
Fifty minutes, and nothing to decide that day
You won't be asked to tell your history. The first session is about whether this feels workable, for you.
I'll explain how I work, what stays private and where its limits are, and what the next few sessions might look like. You can ask me anything, including about my training.
How it goes
From the door to the end
Step 1: Before
You'll get a short form to sign, with the fee in writing. I check your benefits if you'd like, and I tell you what I find.
Step 2: Arriving
Come a few minutes early if that helps, or on time if waiting is hard. You choose your seat.
Step 3: The conversation
I ask what you'd like from therapy, and a little about your life now. Nothing about the past unless you bring it.
Step 4: The ending
We plan a few minutes to settle, and you decide whether to book another time, today or later.
Step 5: After
You can write to me with a question. I reply by the route you chose, during office hours.
Three questions about the first session
Do I have to say what happened?
No. You can leave it out of the first session and all the ones after.
What if I can't speak much?
That is fine. We can sit with fewer words, or you can write things down. I'll help us find a pace.
Can I bring someone?
You can bring a person to the waiting room. In the session itself I see adults one at a time.
When you're ready, write to me
You don't need to tell me anything about yourself to ask.