Prepping for therapy? While every therapist has their own approach, there are common questions you may be asked at your first appointment.
So, you made your first therapy appointment. It might be your first therapy session ever, or you’re just switching to a new therapist.
Either way, going to a therapist for the first time can feel overwhelming to some. You might go back and forth on whether to even go. Many schedule, cancel, and reschedule that first appointment.
Not knowing what to expect can make you even more reluctant to keep your appointment. It’s OK to be nervous. It’s natural to feel this way when meeting someone for the first time — even a therapist.
To ease those first-appointment jitters, we share the most common questions a therapist may ask during that initial meeting.
- Why are you seeking therapy at this time?
- What do you expect from therapy?
- Have you been in therapy before? What was that experience like?
- Are you having suicidal thoughts right now, or have you had suicidal thoughts within the past month?
- Are you having homicidal thoughts, or have you had homicidal thoughts in the past month?
- Do you have supportive people in your life? If so, who?
- How is your relationship with your family?
- How do you cope with stress?
- What are some of your strengths?
- What are the goals you want to accomplish in therapy?