Your First CBT Session: What to Expect

Where to Start

You may come to therapy knowing what exactly you want support with but you may also come to your first session with the sense that ‘something isn’t quite right’ and not knowing exactly what that ‘something’ might be. Knowing where to start can feel quite daunting at first and you may find yourself wondering, whether this is your first time in therapy, or you are returning to therapy ‘what is my therapist expecting from me?’.

The truth? We are just hoping you talk to us! But, in all honesty we know that this also may be the difficult bit so it is for us to help you feel at ease in the session, to help you feel comfortable talking about the ‘something’ and to delve a bit more into it.

Typically CBT sessions like to start with an agenda, this may sound quite formal but we do it for a reason! Often there can be points that we both want to cover and we only have a certain amount to do it. There will be some standing items on there, a check in, a review of the week and a review on home practice (more on this later!) as well as planning the home practice for the next week. But the in between is for you and your therapist to think about.

The first session we think about confidentiality with you