I’m nervous about starting therapy. Is that normal?
It’s totally normal to be nervous about starting therapy. It can be hard to talk about feelings out loud. The fear around that can feel overwhelming. Going to therapy even when you are nervous is not easy. It may take courage to take those steps. You reading this now shows that you are already stepping in the right direction.
Therapy is a space where you can be yourself and bring up whatever is going on for you, including feeling nervous. I’m committed to finding a way to care for your nervousness and ensure sessions are as comfortable as possible.
I’m here if you want to talk about it during a free phone consultation.
How do I know if you are the right therapist for me?
Take your time to read through my website. If you sense that I may be a good fit based on what you are reading, you can Schedule yourself in my online scheduler.
during a free phone consultation, you can ask me questions about my approach, ask how I work as a therapist, or any other questions you may have that are specific-to-you. You’ll also be able to share what’s going on for you and we can determine how I could best be of service to you.
It may be helpful to think of the first few sessions as trying out the waters together. During the sessions, you’ll be able to understand how comfortable you feel in sessions. My approach is not going to work for everyone. What’s most important to me is that you find someone who you feel is the right fit for you. We can explore that together.
What if I don’t want to talk about something?
It’s normal if you don’t feel ready to share everything. During our sessions, you never have to talk about something you’re not comfortable talking about. I’ll be there to guide you towards discovering what feels comfortable for you to share. Working with pace, we can look at the tough stuff if you’re ready.
You can also share with me that you are nervous to open up about something and we can talk about that too. Whatever is present for you. Whatever you are going through. Bring that to session and we can explore that together.
I’m scared that if I open up, you will think I’m too sensitive.
If you open up to me, I will not think you are too sensitive, I will think you are capable and stronger than they realize. Many of my clients have had the same fear (that people would think they are too sensitive).
Through my own life journey and working with my clients, I know how ‘normal’ your experience is.
I believe you. Nothing you can say will cause me to judge you.
I know many of us are overwhelmed, we all struggle, we may have gone through very hard times.
Whatever it is you’re going through, I provide a calming space where I respect you and and listen with focus and compassion
Does what we talk about in therapy remain confidential?
You may be concerned that your friends, family, or work colleagues could learn what you have said during therapy. So I want you to know that unless you are in danger or someone else is, your story is confidential and your time in the session is protected.
I highly respect your privacy and value your trust.
You can rest assured that you can talk about anything without fear of that information getting out.
If you have specific questions about how confidentiality works, you can ask during your during a free phone consultation or anytime during our work together. I can discuss the limits to confidentiality with you then.
How long will therapy take?
You might be asking about how long therapy will take because you are currently struggling and want relief fast.
If this is true for you, I want you to know that on average, my new clients start seeing small amounts of growth after the first 3-4 sessions.
By that point, they they feel like they have learned some ways to manage challenging stuff in their lives a bit better
The total duration of therapy varies from client to client. Some of my clients find 6-12 weeks to be enough to resolve immediate challenges. While other clients feel more supported by longer term therapy.
We will work together to find the length of time that works for you.
What can I expect during the first session?
Overall, you can think of the first session as a structured assessment that helps me get to know you and the challenges that brought you into treatment. I’ll invite you to share more about yourself and we can also talk about what’s worked or not worked for your mental health in the past.
Some questions that I like to ask during a first session include:
- What’s present for you in your life right now?
- Have you gone to therapy before? How did that go?
- What goals would you like to reach by going to therapy?
You can ask me questions as well. You might be curious about about my training or what sessions will be like.
The most important part of a first session is that you see if you feel I’m a good fit for you. If you feel welcomed, secure, and peaceful with me, we can discuss if you’d like to meet again.
How can I get started?
I’m here to talk during a free phone consultation where you can share what’s going on for you and we can determine how I could best be of service to you.
Schedule yourself in my online scheduler today to get your free phone consultation at https://kallamindcousneling.com/schedule-your-free-consultation/.
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