Nerves are normal

Seeing a psychologist for the first time can be anxiety-provoking. There are reasons for this: it’s often a new experience and therefore unfamiliar; it means talking to a stranger (something most of us were told not to do as children!); and it also means sharing personal information which elicits feelings of vulnerability and fear of negative judgement.

The good news is, psychologists are well-versed in how to help people settle their nerves so they’ll be ready for you AND your nerves when you arrive at your first session.

Question time

It’s common for a first session to go for around 55 minutes, but sometimes it can be longer; say an hour and a half. The length depends on how your psychologist conducts their sessions and it can also depend on what you’re going to see them about. Either way, you both need to know how much time to schedule in your diaries, so it’s helpful to ask about the session length when you make the booking.

Your first session will include a meet and greet and this usually involves the psychologist introducing themself to you, as well as having you complete a couple of forms (to get some basic info about you – nothing too tricky).

After the meet and greet, there’ll be some questions, mostly from your psychologist. This is so they can gain an understanding of what you need help with. They’re there to help you describe your issue or issues and identify what you’re struggling with the most.

Your first session is a time for you to ask a few questions too – if you have any. You might like to know about your psychologist’s experience working with people your age and the issues you need help with. You might be interested in the types of treatment they use or even what days of the week they work. It’s important you have the opportunity to get the information you need so you can figure out if you want to continue seeing them. Writing a few questions down before your first session might help.

Decision time

Towards the end of your first session, your psychologist might provide you with their perspective on the issue or situation you’ve described. This is their conceptualisation. It’s how they describe your issue in their words, but it’s developed from the information they gather from you. From here you can talk about treatment and what that will involve. This could include the number of sessions, the frequency of sessions, what kinds of things you might do in the sessions, how the treatment will help and why it’s the best fit for you.

After your first session, it’s okay to take some time to think about when you’d like to start treatment. Remember, it’s your time, your money and the issue you’ll be working on together is also yours.

If you’re interested in discussing seeing a psychologist for the first time, Time for Now is ready to help at appointments@timefornow.com.au.