Your First Session
Most people are nervous before a first session. Often they've been thinking about making the call for months, sometimes years, and by the time they're sitting in front of me they've built that first hour into something much bigger than it is.
So here's what actually happens.
Before you come
We'll most likely have spoken on the phone first. I like a quick conversation before we book, so I understand a bit about what's going on and we can both check I'm the right person for it.
If you're claiming the Medicare rebate, bring your referral and mental health treatment plan, or email them over beforehand. If you don't have one yet, we can start without it and sort it out later.
There's nothing else to prepare.
The first session is a working session
We'll start on what brought you in straight away. I'll pick up your history as we go, in the places it matters, so you're not sitting through a full account of your life before anything useful happens.
I want you leaving that first hour with something. A piece of it that's shifted, a way of understanding what's happening that you didn't walk in with, or something practical to try this week.
What I'll ask
Roughly: what's been going on, how long it's been like this, what you've already tried, and what you'd like to be different.
You don't need good answers to any of that. "I don't know, I just feel awful" is a completely reasonable place to begin, and it's where a lot of people begin.
What you don't need to do
Prepare anything, or write anything down
Know where to start
Have it worked out or in order
Tell me everything on the first day
You can say as much or as little as you want to. Some things take a few sessions before you're ready to say them out loud, and that's how it usually goes.
If you're worried about…
Crying
People cry. There are tissues on the table. It doesn't mean anything has gone wrong.
Not knowing what to say
That's my job, not yours. I'll ask questions and we'll find our way in together.
Being judged
Twenty years in, there's very little I haven't heard. Whatever you're carrying, you won't be the first person to bring it into my therapy room.
Having to talk about your childhood
Only where it's relevant, and only when you're ready. A lot of good work has nothing to do with childhood at all.
Silences
Silences happen in therapy and they're often where the useful part is. You don't have to fill them.
Being talked into more sessions than you want
You decide how often you come and when you stop. I'll tell you what I think, and the decision stays yours.
The practical bits
Sessions run 55 minutes.
I'm at 96 Reid Promenade, Joondalup. There is plenty of street parking available.
Payment is on the day, cash or card, and my terminal processes the Medicare rebate at the same time.
I keep brief notes. They're confidential and you're entitled to ask about them at any point.
What you tell me stays between us. There are a small number of legal exceptions, where there's a serious risk to your safety or someone else's, or where a court requires records. If that ever came up I'd talk to you about it first.
Booking the next one
If you want to continue, we'll put your next session in before you leave. Most people come weekly or fortnightly at the start, and we space them out as things settle.
There's no set number of sessions and no package to sign up to.
Common questions
Can I do the first session online?
Yes. Video sessions work the same way and cost the same. Some people find the first one easier from home.
How long before I feel different?
It varies, and I'd be wary of anyone who gives you a number before meeting you. What I will say is that you should get something out of the first session, and if several sessions go by and nothing is moving, say so and we'll change what we're doing.
Do I need a referral?
Only for the Medicare rebate. You're welcome to book without one.
What if I need to cancel?
Let me know at least 24 hours ahead so the time can go to someone else.
Do you see couples?
Yes. Couples sessions are also 55 minutes. The Medicare rebate covers individual sessions only.
What if I get there and change my mind?
You can stop at any point in the session, and you're under no obligation to book another. Turning up is the hard part and you'd have already done it.
Ready?
Call me on 0410 461 588. We'll have a short chat about what's going on and find a time that works.