What to Expect During Your First Therapy Session

Posted: January 7, 2025

Starting therapy can feel both exciting and nerve wracking, especially if it’s your first time. At Brightside Behavioral Health, we understand how important it is to feel comfortable and informed as you begin working toward your mental health goals. To help ease any uncertainty, we want to provide a clear picture of what you can expect during your first therapy session.

Your first session, often referred to as an intake session, is an opportunity for your therapist to get to know you. Your therapist will likely ask questions about your background, your current challenges, and what brought you to therapy. Topics could include family dynamics, work or school life, relationships, and how you’ve been feeling emotionally and physically. There’s no pressure to share everything all at once, this is a starting point to help your therapist understand your experiences and begin exploring how best to support you.

You’ll also have the chance to talk about your goals for therapy. Whether you’re seeking strategies to manage anxiety, working through past experiences, or improving communication in your relationships, your therapist will collaborate with you to identify what you’d like to achieve. If you’re unsure about your goals, that’s completely okay, therapy is a process of discovery, and your therapist will help you find clarity along the way.

It’s natural to experience a mix of emotions during and after your first session. You might feel a sense of relief or hope, or even some lingering uncertainty as you begin this new experience. These feelings are all part of engaging in a meaningful process of self reflection and growth.

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