Booking a first therapy session can feel like the hardest part. Not because you don't want help, but because you don't know what you're walking into. Will I have to tell my whole life story? What if I cry? What if I don't know what to say?
If that's where you are, you're not alone. Most people arrive at a first session with some version of those questions. So here's what it actually looks like.
Before we meet: a free 15-minute call
We start with a short call. It's not an assessment, and you don't need to explain everything. It's a chance for you to ask questions, hear my voice, and get a sense of whether talking to me feels possible. If it doesn't, that's completely fine. Finding the right therapist matters more than finding any therapist.
The first session
Your first full session lasts 50 minutes, in Putney or online, in English or Italian. It's offered at half price, so it's a lower-stakes way to find out whether this is right for you.
I'll explain how confidentiality works and what its limits are, so you know exactly where you stand. After that, there's no script. You might start with what's been happening recently, what finally made you reach out, or simply how it feels to be sitting there. Some people talk a lot. Some people need long pauses. Both are welcome.
I might ask a few questions to understand your life a little better, but you won't be interrogated, and you don't have to share anything you're not ready to share.
You don't need the right words
One of the most common things people say in a first session is "I don't really know why I'm here." That's a perfectly good place to start.
You don't need a diagnosis, a clear goal, or a tidy explanation. Often what brings people to therapy is a feeling rather than a problem: a sense that something isn't quite right, that they're more tired or anxious or flat than they used to be, or that they keep ending up in the same place.
What person-centred therapy means in practice
I work in a person-centred way. That means I won't hand you a plan or tell you who you should be. I trust that you are the expert on your own life, and my role is to offer the kind of relationship where you can hear yourself more clearly: warm, non-judgemental and honest.
In practice, the first session is mostly about you finding out whether you feel safe enough with me to keep going. That feeling matters more than anything else that happens in the room.
What happens next
At the end, we'll talk about how it felt and whether you'd like to continue. If you do, we'll agree how often to meet, whether weekly or fortnightly, and what times work for you. If you don't, that's fine too, and I'm happy to point you towards other options.
If you're still unsure
Feeling nervous before a first session doesn't mean you're not ready. It usually means it matters.
I offer person-centred therapy in Putney, South West London, and online, in English or Italian. If you'd like to talk it through first, you can book a free 15-minute call at gaiatherapy.uk.
