Preparing for your first counselling session

If you are thinking about starting counselling, you already are halfway there. You are willing to be self-aware and are taking a step towards better mental health. There are a lot of pros to counselling with little to no cons, until and unless you have not done prior research about it.

At the same time, as rewarding counselling is, before taking your first session anxiety may kick in, especially if you have never been to a counselling session before. It can be frightening, so it is important to remind yourself each and every day why you chose to take counselling in the first place. That being said, there are some things you should keep in mind before going to your first counselling session.

1. Choosing the right counsellor

It can be a tiring job, but you should never overlook it because the counsellor is the one who is going to direct you throughout your journey. Visit different sites, understand what area they are good at and if it resonates with what you want, look at their education, their experience, etc. It is important to feel comfortable with your counsellor, therefore choosing wisely will surely turn out in your favor.

1. Setting goals

It is one of the most important things you can do, for your own self. People have multiple stories, and with that everybody’s reasons become personal. You should try and understand what bought you to therapy and what changes you want to bring with it. If you are not able to come to a conclusion, there is no need to worry, it will happen during the whole process. It is not a necessity but it will surely help give direction to your sessions.

1. Being honest

We have all heard that “honesty is the best policy”, and the same goes for counselling sessions. This is most certainly the one thing that you can not neglect. It is something on which your whole therapy will be based. It will surely take time to be comfortable with the counsellor, but it is going to pay off at the end of the day. Speaking about what is going on with you without the fear of judgement and without filtering your thoughts is likely to benefit you. Remember that your counsellor is always there to help you.

The first session is always very difficult and you will go through a lot of emotions, but as much as you are trying, your counsellor is also trying to understand you. Acknowledge that feeling stressed and anxious is okay, you are going to do a lot of healing. Remember to trust the process instead of jumping to conclusions. Make sure to give yourself time after the session. You are going to end up with a lot of emotions, so it is important to clear your schedule beforehand to avoid any problems. Do not worry about what you will say during the session, it will come out naturally. All the best with your session!