Many people find the first session of their counselling as daunting as the reason they are attending in the first place. Here is a simple overview of what happens in the first session.
Paperwork And Confidentiality First
Counselling sessions start with a bit of administrative work. You will be asked to sign a consent form and for the counsellor to explain how confidentiality works. This includes instances where they would break your confidentiality. This is a requirement of a professional counsellor and is outlined within the ethical guidelines for their work.
Telling Your Story, Messily Is Fine
The client will usually be asked to describe the reasons for their attendance at the counselling session. There is no need for the client to organise their thoughts into a neat summary prior to the session. The counsellor will expect the client to commence the session in mid-thought and for them to go back to previous points within the session as required. Many clients commence the session by stating “I don’t really know where to start”.
Some Background Questions
Most of these questions will be quite straightforward to answer, are meant to gather some background information to the story you are about to tell and will enable the counsellor to get a ‘feel’ for your current circumstances, your relationships and who you have got around you to offer you any support. As with any initial search for counselling in Cheltenham for a first appointment, most people worry about the ‘background’ questions and fear that they will be asked in a clinical manner.
Agreeing What Progress Looks Like
Often in the final part of the first session the counsellor will explore with you what you hope to get out of the counselling. This can be as vague as ‘I want to feel better’ and the counsellor and you can come back to this point in future sessions to see if you have made any progress.
Sorting Out The Practical Bits
There will also be some administrative aspects to discuss, covering details of the sessions such as frequency and duration (usually 50 minutes), as well as payment. It is also worth noting that if you’re unsure whether you need counselling, then the NHS Mental Health Services information page, which includes information on what to do if you need to see a mental health doctor and how to approach talking to your GP about any mental health concerns, may be of use.
For Counselling Cheltenham, see Natalie Gray Cheltenham Counselling.
Checking The Fit Matters Too
Remember, a first session is also about you trying to decide whether you like the counsellor enough to work with them. So yes, it is OK to feel unsure or that it didn’t work after a session. If that is the case then it is OK to look for someone else who may be better for you. Remember the most important thing is that you can be honest with the counsellor and that you feel comfortable.
By knowing these 6 stages of your first counselling session you will go in with a better idea of what to expect. So these sessions won’t be as unknown as you think!