You do not need a tidy life story to start psychotherapy. A guide to what a first session can include and the questions worth asking about goals, review and confidentiality.
People often put off psychological support because they feel they should first be able to explain everything neatly. That is not required. A first session can open with whatever feels hardest at the moment, how long it has been going on, and what you would like to be different.
Dr Christine Shen, Acupuncturist, also holds qualifications in psychotherapy and offers psychotherapy sessions at the Lane Cove clinic.
These areas help form a starting point; you can share as much or as little as feels right in the first meeting.
A first session is also your chance to find out how things work. Ask how goals are agreed, how progress will be discussed and what confidentiality looks like in day-to-day terms, including its limits. There is no fixed number of sessions that applies to everyone, and the name of a therapy model on its own will not tell you whether the working relationship suits you.
In a clinic that offers several services, people sometimes wonder which to choose. A first conversation can include that question openly. If your needs would be better met elsewhere, for example through your GP, a psychologist or a psychiatrist, a referral discussion is a normal part of good care rather than a setback.
Your own priorities should steer the work. Think about what you hope to understand better, what feels hard to shift and how you would notice things moving. Ask Christine how the approach will be checked over time and what to do if your situation changes between appointments. If you are in crisis or feel unsafe, contact emergency services or a crisis support line straight away rather than waiting for a booked session.
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