You've decided to seek support. Maybe you've been thinking about it for weeks (or months). You've read about what counselling is, about the difference between professionals, and you've reached the point of booking a first session.
And now you're wondering: what's going to happen in there?
Before the session: the exploratory conversation
In my practice, the process starts with a free 30-minute conversation. It's not a session: it's a space to briefly get to know each other, for you to tell me what brings you here, and for me to explain how I work.
It's also a space for you to assess whether you feel comfortable with me. The therapeutic relationship goes both ways, and it matters that the space feels safe before you begin.
The first session itself
The first session usually lasts 60 to 75 minutes — a bit longer than the following ones, to give room for the initial exploration. It doesn't follow a rigid script, but it has a flexible structure:
Your story, at your pace. I'll invite you to tell me what brings you. You don't need to have it clear or organised. You can start wherever you like — what you feel, what worries you, what you don't understand. There are no wrong answers.
Questions to understand the context. I'll ask you some questions to better understand your situation: your environment, your relationships, your history, your moment in life. It's not an interrogation: it's a conversation in which I map what you tell me so I can accompany you better.
An initial reflection back. Towards the end of the session, I'll share my first impressions with you: what I observe, what I think may be happening, which approaches could be useful. It's an initial hypothesis, not a diagnosis — and it's always open to your feedback.
What will NOT happen
- I won't judge you. Whatever you bring to the session is received with respect and without moralising.
- I won't give you advice. My job isn't to tell you what to do but to help you understand what's happening and find your own answers.
- I won't pressure you to talk about anything you're not ready to address.
- You won't have to lie on a couch or do anything that feels strange to you.
The first session isn't the moment to solve anything. It's the moment to begin understanding — and to check whether this is a space where you can do that.
After the session
It's normal to feel things after a first session. Relief at having spoken about something you'd been carrying for a long time. Emotional tiredness. Or perhaps a mix of clarity and confusion — seeing things from another angle can be stimulating and disorienting at the same time.
All of that is normal and part of the process. You don't need to do anything special afterwards — just let what happened settle.
What if I don't feel a connection?
If after the first session you don't feel this is the right space for you, that's perfectly fine. The therapeutic relationship needs mutual fit, and not every professional is right for every person. I'll tell you honestly if I think another professional could accompany you better than I can.
What matters is that you take the step. If not with me, then with someone. The first step is always the hardest — and you've already taken it by getting this far.