Therapy can be vulnerable and new, so it’s natural to be nervous. The fear around that can feel overwhelming. Going to therapy even when you are nervous is not easy. It may take courage to take those steps. You reading this now shows that you are already stepping in the right direction.
Therapy is a space where you can be yourself and come just as you are, including feeling nervous. I’m committed to finding a way to care for your nervousness and ensure sessions are as comfortable as possible.
I’m here if you want to talk about it during a free phone consultation.
Take your time to read through my website. If you sense that I may be a good fit based on what you are reading, you can email me or complete the enquiry form.
During a free phone consultation, you can ask me about how I have helped other people like you before, what a typical session with me is like, or any other questions you may have that are specific to you. You’ll also be able to tell me a little about what’s going on for you and I can share my ideas around how I can help you.
It may be helpful to think of the first few sessions as trying out the waters together. During the sessions, you’ll be able to see how you feel working with me. My approach is not going to work for everyone. What’s most important to me is that you find someone who you feel is the right fit for you. We can explore that together.
If something feels overwhelming or even terrifying to discuss, that's actually very common. It can often feel difficult to talk about some things. During our sessions, it will always be up to you if you feel ready to talk about something or not. We will collaborate on understanding what you feel ready to open up about. Together we will work through the difficult stuff.
You can also share with me that you are nervous to open up about something and we can talk about that too. Whatever is present for you. Whatever you are going through. Bring that to session and we can explore that together.
If you open up to me, I will not think you are making it all up, I will think you are courageous and human. Many of my clients have had the same fear (that people would think they are making it all up).
Through my own life journey and working with my clients, I know how ‘normal’ your experience is.
You're not being dramatic or "too much." Nothing you can say will cause me to judge you.
I know many of us are overwhelmed, we all suffer in different ways, we may have normal reactions to abnormally challenging experiences.
Whatever it is you're going through, I provide a calming space where I respect you and and listen with focus and compassion
It can be concerning feeling like things you say or do in therapy could "get out." So, I want you to know that unless you are in danger or someone else is, your story is confidential and your time in the session is protected.
There is nothing more important than your privacy.
You can rest assured that you can talk about anything without fear of that information getting out.
If you have specific questions about how confidentiality works, you can ask during your during a free phone consultation or anytime during our work together.
You might be asking about how long therapy will take because you are currently struggling and want relief fast.
If this is true for you, I want you to know that on average, my new clients start seeing small amounts of growth after the first 3-5 sessions.
By that point, they they feel a little more calm and hopeful that healing is possible
The total duration of therapy varies from client to client. Some of my clients find 8-16 weeks to be enough to resolve immediate challenges. While other clients feel more supported by longer term therapy.
We will work together to find the length of time that works for you.
Overall, you can think of the first session as a free-flowing conversation through which we start getting to know each other. I’ll invite you to share more about yourself and we can also talk about what’s worked or not worked for your mental health in the past.
Some questions that I like to ask during a first session include:
- What brought you to therapy?
- What goals would you like to reach by going to therapy?
- What do I need to know about you to understand your current challenges?
You can ask me questions as well. You might be curious about about my experice or how future sessions work.
The most important part of a first session is that you see if you feel I’m a good fit for you. If you feel calm, heard, and cared for with me, we can discuss if you’d like to meet again.
I offer sessions Tuesdays – Friday during the daytime (9am - 6pm)
I'm here to talk during a free phone consultation where you can share what’s going on for you and I can share my ideas around how I can help you.
Email me today to get your free phone consultation at hello@sarahtinsleycounselling.co.uk.