The first appointment
You will likely be asked to complete and sign some forms, either ahead of your scheduled appointment or when you arrive. These may cover services, payment, confidentiality, and questions about your history.
The first meeting is often used to figure out why you are seeking help, what your concerns are, family and social history, and questions to help get to know you better and to establish your work with the provider.
You have the chance to ask questions, which may include the length of sessions and how often you will meet, what to expect during sessions, whether there will be “homework” or other assignments between sessions, and how long you can expect treatment to last. Let the provider know what you believe may be most helpful to you, and discuss any past experiences you may have with treatment.
Finding the right fit
Because providers and clients work together, it is important to find a good match. It is important that you feel comfortable with the provider. If you have some concerns about working with the provider, it may be helpful to share them with the provider. Providers can sometimes change their approaches. If you decide that your provider is not a good match, it is okay to try meeting with someone else. However, it is important to recognize that when you are working on concerns that are difficult to share, it is not uncommon to feel somewhat uncomfortable initially with any provider.