Dear new client: Welcome to therapy!
I know how hard it is to reach out and start thinking about your first appointment. You are here to meet me, a stranger who will hear about parts of your life that no one else hears about and trust that I will do everything I can to help you. To make things easier, here are some important things to keep in mind as you start therapy.
The therapeutic relationship takes time
A good client-therapist partnership is key to getting the most out of therapy. Just like any relationship, the one between you and I will take time to develop. When I start with a new client, my primary goal is to make you feel welcomed, safe and heard. It will take time to become comfortable enough to really dig in and work on the painful stuff. We will start wherever you would like to start and move forward at a pace that is determined by you.
Healing isn’t linear
Sometimes you might feel worse before you feel better. Many expect to walk out of every therapy session feeling good, but healing doesn’t always feel good. It can feel scary, painful, overwhelming and exhausting. It’s also important to consider that not everyone in your life will support your healing, and there will also be people in your life who are not good for your healing.
Therapy is an investment in both the present and the future
The skills you learn in therapy, along with the support and insight you receive, will not only help you with the situation you find yourself in, but will become part of the toolbox you will access for the rest of your life. You’ll gain knowledge that improves your ability to cope with stress, helps you understand why and how you may do things, and facilitates better communication between you and the important people in your life.
You won’t have therapeutic breakthroughs in every session
And that doesn’t mean we’re doing anything wrong! Some sessions are mind-blowing and perspective shifting, and other times you may feel like you’re not getting anywhere. This is all part of the process. I will send you a check-in survey periodically to ensure that you are happy with how are things are going, and this will also give you the opportunity to give me feedback about our sessions.
Keeping appointments and being on time is critical
Part of therapy is consistency, so making therapy a priority is important. And yes, you may be charged a fee if you don’t show up or you cancel late. The time you’ve reserved is yours and yours alone. When you don’t attend, two things happen: other clients who would love to have your time slot are not able to, and I don’t get paid for my time. I rely on clients keeping their appointments for general scheduling and personal life planning, as well as business finances.
Most of the work takes place outside of the therapy session
Discussion and theory are important, but practical application of therapeutic skills in real life situations is essential in order to learn what helps and what doesn’t. Our sessions will be process oriented which means that emphasis will be more on the journey versus rushing to get to the end goal. Therapy involves between session skill practice and a willingness to come back to our sessions and discuss how practice went. If something gets in the way, it’s important to talk about this too. The clients that see the most therapeutic benefit are the ones who prioritize skill practice. If you get stuck, you can always send me an email between sessions for support.
If you have concerns, tell me!
I can’t fix or address what is wrong unless I know about it. I won’t get angry or offended if you bring something up. Therapy is all about the therapeutic relationship between the therapist and the person in therapy. If you’re upset about something I said or need clarification, give me a chance to help you understand or make things right. Some things that may seem trivial can be addressed or explored. I am not perfect; I may miss an email or voicemail message, or say something that doesn’t sit well with you. I pride myself on being a therapist that my clients feel comfortable approaching about anything. Knowing your concerns and allowing me to address them is also a way to work on empowerment.
If you don’t feel like we are a good fit or you are ready to leave therapy, please let me know
It’s something you might be thinking of or I may bring up. Please don’t just stop attending appointments. Let’s talk about it. If you abruptly leave without letting me know, I am likely to be both confused and concerned for your well-being. The preferred method of ending therapy is to have at least one session where we talk about what we’ve achieved and where to go from here. Closure is important for both of us. You can also send me an email if you feel more comfortable. You are always welcome back—be it in a month, a year, or five years.
A good therapist won’t:
Try to fix you
Solve all of your problems or have all the answers
Pretend to know more about you than you do
Offer unsolicited advice or tell you what to do
A good therapist will:
Remind you that you are not broken
Treat you like a human and not a set of symptoms
Highlight your strengths and help you access your inner resources
Recognize that you are an expert in your own life and know what’s best for you
Comentarios