What to expect when seeing a therapist for the first time

Seeing a therapist for the first time can be a nerve-racking experience. On the one hand you may feel relief that you are seeking help, but on the other, discussing emotional and personal problems with a stranger can be very intimidating.

With the wide choice of psychotherapy schools and therapists out there, we wanted to create a checklist that someone seeking therapy could use to choose a therapist that is effective as possible, and this checklist is also a great way for those new to therapy to find out what a session may entail.

 An effective psychotherapist or counsellor:

• knows how to build rapport quickly with distressed people,
• understands depression and how to lift it,
• helps immediately with anxiety problems including trauma or fear related symptoms — is prepared to give advice if needed or asked for,
• will not use jargon or 'psychobabble' or tell you that counselling or psychotherapy has to be 'painful'
• will not dwell unduly on the past,
• will be supportive when difficult feelings emerge, but will not encourage people to get emotional beyond the normal need to 'let go' of any bottled up feelings,
• may assist you to develop your social skills so that your needs for affection, friendship, pleasure, intimacy, connection to the wider community etc. can be better fulfilled,
• will help you to draw and build on your own resources (which may prove greater than you thought),
• will be considerate of the effects of counselling on the people close to you,
• may teach you to relax deeply,
• may help you think about your problems in new and more empowering ways,
• uses a wide range of techniques as appropriate,
• may ask you to do things between sessions,
• will take as few sessions as possible,
• will increase your self confidence and independence and make sure you feel better after every consultation.

If you are searching for an effective therapist, take a look at our register of Human Givens Therapists for effective psychotherapy in the UK.