Initial Consultations
The initial consultation is not the start of therapy, rather time for both of us to get know a little about each other. For me to get an idea of your therapeutic goals, what has led you to therapy, for you to ask me questions about my practice, and to generally see if we are a good fit.
I feel this ‘good fit’ is very important. There are so many reasons why we may or may not be a good fit, that could be around personalities, intervention choices, whether I feel that your goal or preferred intervention isn’t my specialism. After the session I encourage you to take some time to notice how the session went, what fitted and what didn’t. If you have any further questions about any of those, you are welcome to email me. I very much recommend journalling before and after- there are some prompts below.
The session will involve history taking which can sometimes be very tricky. Telling a stranger about the different difficult aspects of your life can sometimes feel overwhelming. I don’t feel that being overwhelmed in this session is useful or pleasant at all. Therefore I set out some guidelines for the session that aim to reduce the possibility of this.
You are encouraged not to answer any questions you do not want to answer.
You are also encouraged to use titles of events only, rather than discuss the details of events, particularly of stressful of traumatic events.
If you start to feel anxious or distressed, I invite you to tell me so that I can suggest some methods of calming; and you are welcome to use calming strategies you already know in the session, such as using fidgets or moving around or drinking tea.
Another important consideration is to consider what might support you before and after the session. Maybe time either side for a cup of tea, or a walk, or chat with a friend, or a cuddle with a dog, or a shower, or whatever is a resource for you.
Before the session, it can be useful to take some time to consider and journal:
What would you like to gain from therapy?
What would be the smaller steps/ goals to meeting that overall goal?
What specific changes would help you to notice that you are on your way to meeting that goal/s?
Do you want/ not want to use particular methods? Embodied/ movement/ yoga/ drawing/ sandtray/ EMDR/ imagination/ talk/ embodied drawing/ clay/ something else? Are there any of these you would like more information about?
Do you want/ not want the sessions to be indoors or outdoors or online?
What would you like to ask or check with me? Maybe regarding session structure/ therapeutic approaches/ venue/ session times/ credentials/ professional body membership/ specialisms/
After the session, it can be useful to take some time to consider and journal:
How did you feel during the consultation? How do you feel now?
Were there any questions you didn't ask? Would you feel comfortable emailing them?
Do you feel like we were a good fit? What did you notice that helps you make this decision?
Do you feel like you might prefer to take an initial consultation with another therapist before deciding on embarking on a therapeutic journey?
Are the logistics going to work for you right now? Or do you need to wait for a different time-slot or location or price band? Do you need to investigate other financially assisted therapy organisations instead?